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Discovery of COVID variant in South Africa rocks DP World Tour

The season-opening event will go on, but the next two events were removed from official schedule.

The tour formally known as the European Tour was scheduled to kick off its 2021-22 season with three consecutive events in South Africa. The first round of the DP World Tour’s first event at the Joburg Open was hampered by inclement weather and eventually postponed by lightning.

Friday brought worse news.

Experts with the World Health Organization are meeting to assess a COVID-19 variant in South Africa that has been rapidly spreading among young people and has already spawned numerous mutations, according to a story by USA TODAY.

Several nations, including Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Japan, have responded to news of the variant by moving Friday to restrict air travel from several southern African countries. The European Union, which is made up of 27 nations, is also recommending a ban on flights from southern African countries, despite WHO officials warning against rash decisions.

The Washington Post reports that global financial markets are already reacting, with the Dow Jones industrial average sinking more than 800 points after news of the discovery of a coronavirus variant in South Africa.

The DP World Tour released a statement indicating South Africa has been placed on the travel red list but still plans to forge ahead and complete the Joburg Open as planned on Sunday.

The two events after that have already been dropped from the DP World Tour’s official website. The South African Open Championship, Dec. 2-5, which was co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour, will now just be a Sunshine Tour event. The Alfred Dunhill Championship, which was scheduled for Dec. 9-13, has been canceled altogether, due to, according to the DP World Tour, the adverse effect the travel restrictions will have on the field.

Also in the USA TODAY report: scientists have little information about the variant and its potential for danger right now, said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 technical lead, on Thursday.

“What we do know is that this variant has a large number of mutations, and the concern is that when you have so many mutations it can have an impact on how the virus behaves,” said Van Kerkhove.

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European Tour is now the DP World Tour and its new season starts this week in South Africa

The DP World Tour begins its 50th year of existence at the Joburg Open in South Africa on Thursday.

Last season is so last week.

The circuit formally known as the European Tour concluded its season last Sunday when Collin Morikawa became the first American to win both the DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai title.

This week, the new season is here already, and with that, a new name.

Now called the DP World Tour, the circuit kicks off its 50th year of existence at the Joburg Open in South Africa on Thursday. The tour will have 47 tournaments in 27 countries with more than $200 million in prize money up for grabs.

The tour will also feature three tournaments that are co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour: the Genesis Scottish Open, the Barbasol Championship, and the Barracuda Championship—the latter two taking place in the United States—as a result of the “Strategic Alliance” between the tours.

A video posted on Wednesday to promote the new season features appearances by Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Billy Horschel, and even Annika Sorenstam, among others.

In addition to tournament riches, three spots into the 150th Open Championship, to be held at historic St. Andrews July 14-17, 2022, are on the line this week.

The top three who finish in the top 10 and ties at the Joburg Open who are not already exempt will earn a spot. The Joburg is the first event in the Open Qualifying Series.

There are four golfers in the field at the Joburg who are already exempt for St. Andrews: Dean Burmester, Dylan Frittelli, Justin Harding, and Shaun Norris.

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Branden Grace closes with 62 to win South African Open

Brendan Grace rode a hot putter on Sunday to post a final-round 62 and earn a come-from-behind victory at the South African Open.

Branden Grace rode a hot putter on Sunday to post a final-round 62 and earn a come-from-behind victory at the South African Open.

Third-round leader Louis Oosthuizen, who held a one-shot lead after 54 holes, aced the par-3 eighth hole but it wasn’t enough to hold off Grace, who needed just 22 putts on Sunday and finished 21 under. Oosthuizen finished in second, three shots back. Marcus Armitage was third at 16 under.

This is Grace’s ninth win on the European Tour, and first since the 2017 Nedbank Golf Challenge.

“That was remarkable,” he said. “I played flawless golf and I can’t remember the last time the putter was that hot.”

He went on to describe his emotions of winning in his home country.

“This is the one I really wanted. This means so much to any South African, winning on home soil, the guys get so behind you and it’s such an emotional feeling.”

Branden Grace poses for a photograph with the trophy alongside wife Nieke and son Roger after winning the 2020 South African Open. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Add in that Grace was able to celebrate with his family and it made for a special day.

“It’s the first win with the little one here so he’s going to have a photo with the trophy and then it’s a good birthday wish to my Mrs. today, she’s a birthday girl today so it’s a good birthday present.”

Despite seven straight pars to open his round, Oosthuizen had lost the lead. But he gained it right back with a hole-in-one on the eighth hole.

 

Grace’s win secures him a spot in the 2020 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s. Armitage and Jaco Ahlers also earned spots in the final major of the summer.

Amateur Jayden Trey Schaper, 18, chipped in on 18 to finish 13 under, eight shots off the lead.

The European Tour plays the first of three straight events in the Middle East next week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

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