New 18th hole at Sun City is not Schwartzel's cup of tee

Schwartzel was talking after finishing the first round tied second on four-under-par 68. Photo: Tannen Maury/EPA

Schwartzel was talking after finishing the first round tied second on four-under-par 68. Photo: Tannen Maury/EPA

Published Nov 9, 2018

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SUN CITY – Despite making a birdie there in the first round, Charl Schwartzel is not enamoured by the changes made on the 18th hole at the Gary Player Country Club for this year’s edition of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

The 18th has developed into an iconic finishing hole in South African golf over 36 years of the Nedbank Golf Challenge. 

Organisers have changed the tee box, moved it over the cart path and made the tee shot longer, to Schwartzel’s surprise.

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s very clever,” he said after his first round at Sun City on Thursday. “I would have left it where it was. I would have taken out the fairway bunker rather. Make the guys play more aggressive. Bring the water into play. 

“If a guy is willing enough to hit it far enough up there, give him a nine-iron in and make him make a birdie for a more exciting finish. It’s the biggest grandstands on the golf course, and you make the hole long, basically, just everyone is just playing for par.”

Schwartzel was talking after finishing the first round tied second on four-under-par 68 which put him and two other players four strokes behind Sergio Garcia of Spain.

Always great to be back @golfatsun #NGC2018 the course is looking great, weather good and best of all getting to play in front of home crowds! Going to be a good week

— Charl Schwartzel (@CA_Schwartzel) November 7, 2018

Always a thinker when he plays, Schwartzel had some other thoughts about the course. “You know, on this course, starting off here is key. 

“I got off to a good start, made one bogey today and that was on eight. The wind turned on us so came up way short. Drove the ball really well, basically hit the ball really good. It was a good start,” he said.

African News Agency (ANA)

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