JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout rose 12 places to a career-high 48th in the world rankings released on Monday.
Bezuidenhout won the Dimension Data Pro-am in George on Sunday, a tournament co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour and the European Challenge tour.
The 25-year-old began the year ranked 87th in the world, and now finds himself in the lucrative top-50. If he maintains his position in the top-50 until the end of March, he will receive exemption into the year’s first Major - The Masters at Augusta in the second week of April.
The youngster lost in a playoff at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at the end of January, with Australian Lucas Herbert triumphing on the second hole of sudden death.
Bezuidenhout is also now the SA-number two behind Louis Oosthuizen who leads the way at number 17 in the world.
Erik van Rooyen drops to the third-ranked SA golfer at number 52 in the world, followed closely by Shaun Norris in 61st.
SA Open champion Branden Grace is 71st, with Justin Harding rounding out the six South Africans in the top-100 at number 91.