South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout kisses the trophy after securing his first SA Open title. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/AFP
SOUTH Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout has risen to 35th in the latest world golf rankings released on Monday.
The 26-year-old won for the second week in a row on Sunday when he claimed the SA Open title at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City by five shots on 18-under. His victory prompted a climb of six spots from 41st.
The week before, Bezuidenhout won by four in the Alfred Dunhill at Leopard Creek.
Incidentally, Bezuidenhout finished third at the Joburg Open which was held from November 19 to 22 - after jetting straight out from the year’s final Major - The Masters at Augusta the week before. At The Masters, Bezuidenhout finished 38th in his debut appearance at the event.
Having begun the year at 87th in the world, Bezuidenhout is steadily closing the gap on SA’s top-ranked player Louis Oosthuizen. The 2010 Open champion Oosthuizen holds 21st position in the world. Oosthuizen’s last win came at the SA Open in December 2018.
Now a three-time European Tour event winner, Bezuidenhout has earned R7.63m in the last two weeks with his R2.97m cheque at the SA Open and the R4.66m he received for winning at Leopard Creek.
Erik van Rooyen remains the third-ranked SA player, at 53rd in the world.
Dylan Frittelli, meanwhile, has moved up two spots to 68th in the world. Frittelli finished third at the SA Open, ensuring an improvement in the rankings.
Completing the five SA players in the top-100, George Coetzee moved up one position to 93rd in the world.
– African News Agency (ANA)