Tag: Christiaan Maas

Altin Van der Merwe captures inaugural African Amateur Championship in playoff, earns spot in Open Championship

Talk about coming up clutch.

Sometimes scorecards don’t paint the full picture of how spectacular a shot or hole was for a certain player during a round of golf.

Altin Van der Merwe has a story he can tell the rest of his life after his triumph Saturday at Leopard Creek in Malelane, South Africa.

In the 2024 African Amateur Championship, Van der Merwe birdied the par-5 18th to earn his way into a playoff, then he birdied it again in said playoff to claim the inaugural title of the latest major amateur event and punch his ticket to the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon. He bested Texas sophomore Christiaan Maas and Ivan Verster, both fellow South Africans, to claim the trophy and win a historic championship in his home country.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Van der Merwe said. “I think it’ll kick in later. Right through the day, the two competitors I played with, two great friends actually, we went back and forth, back and forth. I think all three of us had the lead at one stage, then there was three holes, they didn’t go in, they didn’t go in, and then the last hole I just pulled a blinder out, and in the playoff I made a good two-putt. I can’t describe the feeling.”

Needing a birdie to tie Maas and Verster, Van der Merwe, 27, hit a spectacular second shot into the par-5 18th hole, giving him a chance at eagle and the win in regulation. It’s a putt he said he has hit many time before, but he couldn’t get it to fall. Nevertheless, he made birdie while Maas and Verster carded pars, and it was on to a playoff.

On the extra hole, it was again Van der Merwe carding a birdie while Maas, who a day before set the course record with a blazing 9-under 63, made par and Verster made bogey, sealing the victory.

Just last week, Van der Merwe won the Golf RSA International Amateur in a playoff. A week later with higher stakes, he did it again and punched his ticket to the Open Championship in July.

“I can’t wait,” Van der Merwe said. “Honestly, I can’t wait. It’s links golf, as well, so I’m going to be licking my chops out there with just a little sting 2-iron all day, and I just can’t wait until the time comes.”

On the women’s side, South African Kyra van Kan won the 54-hole event by nine shots over compatriot Bobbi Brown to clinch the title on a 1-under 215.

The 18-year-old earned places in the Women’s Amateur Championship, final qualifying for the AIG Women’s Open and The Investec South African Women’s Open in 2024, and the Lalla Meryem Cup and Magical Kenya Ladies Open in 2025.

Haskins Award: First spring watch list for 2022-23 men’s college golf Player of the Year

Check out who’s in the running for men’s college golfer of the year.

With every passing week, the men’s college golf season creeps closer to the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The Haskins Award announced Friday its first spring watch list, featuring 15 of the best men’s college golfers this season. Gordon Sargent, a sophomore at Vanderbilt who has risen to No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is having a stellar season, but there are plenty of other big names in contention.

The Haskins Award honors the player of the year in college men’s golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media. The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the Haskins Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel reporters.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual

Texas freshman Christiaan Maas well on his way to be next South African star

“Playing with Ernie was a dream come true.”

Standing on the first tee ahead of the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Championship last month in South Africa, Christiaan Maas’ eye drew wide. 

Also on the tee was Ernie Els, one of the greatest South African golfers of all time. The former world No. 1 with four major titles is now 53 and is on the decline of his stellar career. Meanwhile, Maas, a freshman at Texas, is only at the beginning of what’s looking to be a promising story. 

Maas played alongside Els the first two days at Leopard Creek in Malelane, topping one of his idols, who’s also a friend and mentor. Maas finished T-17 at the DP World Tour event, capping a stellar fall that included his first semester for the Longhorns. 

“Playing with Ernie was a dream come true,” Maas said. “All in all, probably the best two weeks I’ve had.”

Maas had met Els previously and talked with him on numerous occasions, partially because Maas’ coach and Els are close friends. Maas said Els talked with him about the recruiting process and was supportive of Maas’ choice to go to Texas. 

A week before the Alfred Dunhill, Maas placed T-35 at the DP World Tour’s South African Open. 

Maas’ brilliant play on the professional level at 19 years old is just a glimpse of how talented he is. The 25th-ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking was named to the Fred Haskins Award watch list, which is awarded to the best player in college golf, after the fall season. Maas also captured the Brabazon trophy last year at the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship. He has quickly risen to become one of the top amateurs in the world. 

And yet he’s only scratching the surface.

“He has got off to a really good start,” Texas men’s golf coach John Fields said. “He’s an absolutely wonderful kid. Everybody loves him in South Africa.”

Fields was able to go to South Africa and watch Maas compete, which he said was an incredible moment for him. 

It meant a lot to Maas, too, to have his coach come and support him during the couple months off from college golf. 

Maas took a couple weeks off after his appearances on the DP World Tour to rest and refresh before the spring college season. Texas is the defending national champion, and though the Longhorns had a slow start in the fall season, Maas isn’t worried about that carrying over to the spring. 

“Our goal is to win a national championship,” Maas said. “If we can reach the match play at NCAAs, we’ll definitely have a chance.”

On a personal level, Maas said he wants to win a couple college events this spring. He came close in the fall, finishing third at the Ben Hogan Collegiate at Colonial Country Club, where the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Challenge is contested. He also placed 12th at the Stephens Cup.

Maas notes the changes and adjustments he had to make to playing golf in the United States mostly compared to at home. There’s a premium on hitting the fairway and avoiding the rough around putting surfaces. Having the ability to practice at Texas has helped him adjust quickly. 

The Longhorns’ spring slate kicks off later this month at the Southwestern Invitational in Westlake Village, California. It’s there Maas will look to continue building off his low amateur honors in South Africa and making a name for himself. 

And he’s got his eyes on a big prize. Doing what Gordon Sargent did last year, winning the NCAA title as a freshman.

“That’s the ultimate goal,” Maas said. “And hopefully that can lead my team into a good position going to match play.”

[listicle id=778073458]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01f1jy2metwcg6v9hc image=]