Began playing golf at age 5, following in the footsteps of his golf-teaching brother Mark, who is nine years older and the current coach at Columbus (Georgia) State University. Mark also works part-time for SiriusXM as a PGA TOUR Radio Network announcer.

Scratch player by age 12.

Father, Johan, former commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, was named Golfweek's 2016 Father of the Year.

Spent much of 2016 as analyst in studio for Golf Central on Golf Channel.

In December 2007, withdrew from the South African Airways Open due to breathing problems and pain in his rib cage. Doctors discovered a lesion on his diaphragm the size of a golf ball, later diagnosed as a benign, calcified fibrosis tumor. Treatment and recovery caused him to miss the first eight weeks of the 2008 PGA TOUR season, before winning the Masters Tournament.

1998 U.S. Public Links champion.

Lost in three 1997 finals, at the British Amateur at Royal St George's, the New Zealand Amateur and the U.S. Junior.

In 1996, made the South African team at age 17 and played in the Eisenhower Trophy in Chile.

First-team AJGA All-American in 1996, having defeated Bubba Watson in the finals of the Rolex Junior Classic.