JOINED TOUR
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PGA TOUR: 2006
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Korn Ferry Tour: 2016
PGA TOUR Victories (2)
2006 Season
2008 Season
Korn Ferry Tour Victories (1)
2013 Season
- Hotel Fitness Championship
International Victories
(6)
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2000 Vodacom Players Championship [SAf]
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2003 South African Airways Open [Eur]
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2003 Dimension Data Pro-Am [SAf]
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2004 South African Airways Open [Eur]
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2004 Deutsche Bank-SAP Open TPC of Europe [Eur]
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2007 Nedbank Challenge [SAf]
Additional Victories (1)
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2003 World Golf Championships-World Cup [with Rory Sabbatini]
PLAYOFF RECORD
PGA TOUR (0-2)
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2006 Lost to Jim Furyk, Wachovia Championship
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2008 Lost to Robert Allenby, Justin Leonard, Stanford St. Jude Championship
National Teams
- 2005, 2007 The Presidents Cup
- 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 World Cup
Personal
- 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.
Special Interests
- Music, movies, autobiographies
Career Highlights
2016 Season
Made two cuts from 11 starts, finishing No. 239 in FedExCup standings.
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Wells Fargo Championship: Advanced to the Wells Fargo Championship (T71).
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Puerto Rico Open at Coco Beach: Advanced to the weekend at Puerto Rico Open at Coco Beach (T62).
2015 Season
Failed to record a top-25 finish for the first time in a full season on the PGA TOUR inished the year No. 204 in the FedExCup standings, missing the Playoffs for the third consecutive season.
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Barbasol Championship: T32 at the Barbasol Championship marking his best performance of the season.
2014 Season
Made 13 cuts in 28 PGA TOUR starts, highlighted by three top-25 finishes. Ended the season ranked No. 145 in the FedExCup standings. Was not able to regain exempt status for the 2014-15 PGA TOUR Season via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
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Chiquita Classic: Withdrew from the Chiquita Classic the week following the Hotel Fitness Championship, and did not play again.
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Hotel Fitness Championship: Finished T63 in the first Korn Ferry Tour Finals' event at the Hotel Fitness Championship.
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Farmers Insurance Open: Finished T10 at the Farmers Insurance Open for his first top-10 in four starts near San Diego.
2013 Season
Made 24 starts on the PGA TOUR, making the cut in half of them. Finished 143rd on the FedExCup points list, making him eligible for the Finals. Ironically, he received a green jacket from the host organization, the Western Golf Association, at the awards ceremony. With his 2013-14 card assured, his focus shifted to finishing No. 1 in the Finals, which offered fully-exempt status. Was making his first Korn Ferry Tour start as a professional and his second overall (1999 Shreveport Open, T9) in Fort Wayne. Closed out the PGA TOUR season with $360,549 in earnings.
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Hotel Fitness Championship: Won the inaugural Korn Ferry Tour Finals' event, the Hotel Fitness Championship at Sycamore Hills GC in Fort Wayne, Ind., sinking a 16-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole, which held up for a one-shot victory over Patrick Cantlay. Began Sunday five shots back of Cantlay. Posted rounds of 67-66-69-66 (20-under).
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Hotel Fitness Championship: Won the 2013 Hotel Fitness Championship.
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Wyndham Championship: Opened with 65 in Greensboro, his low round of the year. Finished T37 at the Wyndham Championship.
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Reno-Tahoe Open: Finished T39 at the Reno-Tahoe Open.
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RBC Canadian Open: Next-best finish after the RBC Heritage was a T21 at the RBC Canadian Open in late July.
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RBC Heritage: Made his 200th career PGA TOUR start, finishing T9 at the RBC Heritage, his first top-10 showing since a T9 at the 2011 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic.
2012 Season
Did not record a top-10 finish for the third time in the last four seasons. Made 13 of 24 cuts on the year to finish No. 117 in the final FedExCup standings.
2011 Season
Bounced back with a solid year as he continued to recover from a wrist injury that has hampered his play over the last few years.
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Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic: At the final event of the season a week later, at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic, played his final 48 holes bogey-free to claim a second consecutive top-10 finish, a T6. After a top-ten finish at the McGladrey Classic, the back-to-back top-10 showings were his first since May of 2006.
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The McGladrey Classic: Carded a career-low, 8-under 62 on Saturday of the McGladrey Classic (tying the course record set by Charles Howell III in 2010) and followed with a final-round, 1-under 69 to finish solo fifth. It was his first top 10 since the 2008 TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola (T10).
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The Greenbrier Classic: Jumped out to the first-round lead at The Greenbrier Classic, with a 6-under 64. Closed with rounds of 70-73-67 to finish T14.
2010 Season
Was unable to record a top-10 and missed 10 of 19 cuts as he continued to work back from 2009 wrist surgery.
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RBC Canadian Open: Best finish was T13 at the RBC Canadian Open.
2009 Season
Was limited to 13 events on the PGA TOUR because of a wrist injury, making the cut in nine starts. Underwent surgery on his left wrist in late October after suffering from tendinitis for much of the season.
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Masters Tournament: Returned to Augusta National to defend his 2008 Masters Tournament title, finishing T20.
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Transitions Championship: Best finish was a T19 at the Transitions Championship in March.
2008 Season
Finished the season ranked No. 16 in the FedExCup standings, with 14 made cuts in 22 starts. Played in all four PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup events.
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THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola: T10 finish at the TOUR Championship.
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BMW Championship: Ended the year on a strong note with a T13 at the BMW Championship followed by another top-ten finish at the TOUR Championship.
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U.S. Open Championship: Finished T65 in the second major of the year, the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.
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Stanford St. Jude Championship: Two months after winning the Masters, lost in a three-man playoff to Justin Leonard on the second playoff hole at the Stanford St. Jude Championship. Shared second with Robert Allenby. It was his third runner-up finish on TOUR (two in playoffs). He improved his position after the second, third and final rounds to a earn a spot in the playoff with Allenby and Leonard. Birdied 71st and 72nd holes to make playoff.
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Verizon Heritage: In ninth start of the season, claimed first major championship title with a three-stroke victory over Tiger Woods at the Masters at age 28 years, 3 months, 28 days. Posted rounds of 68-68-69-75--280 and held or shared the lead after each round. First international player to win the Masters since Canada's Mike Weir (2003) and the second South African, joining three-time champion Gary Player. Sixth South Africa native to win a major championship, joining Gary Player (nine), Bobby Locke (four), Ernie Els (three), Nick Price (three) and Retief Goosen (two). Final-round 75 marked the eighth time in Masters Tournament history the champion has posted an over-par score in the final round. The 75 matched Arnold Palmer's in 1962 as the highest winning final-round score in Masters history.
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FBR Open: Returned to the TOUR at the FBR Open in early February after undergoing surgery on Dec. 18 to remove a benign tumor from behind his rib cage.
2007 Season
Won more than $1.8 million.
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The Presidents Cup: Was a member of the International Team at The Presidents Cup. Did not compete on TOUR after that and ultimately dropped from No. 32 to No. 46 on the money list.
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The Presidents Cup: Earned a berth on the 2007 Presidents Cup International Team, his second straight time as a member.
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World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship: Finished third at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, defeating Chad Campbell in the consolation final, 4 and 2. Defeated Thomas Bjorn, Chris DiMarco, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose before falling to champion Henrik Stenson in the semifinals, 3 and 2.
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Mercedes-Benz Championship: Finished third in first appearance in the Mercedes-Benz Championship. One of four first-time participants to finish among the top-10.
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Nedbank Golf Challenge: Beat Justin Rose by one stroke to win the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa in early December.
2006 Season
Voted PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year based on a victory at the Cialis Western Open and seventh-place finish on the money list. First rookie since Jerry Pate (1976) to finish 10th or better on the money list. Led all rookies with eight top-10s in 24 starts.
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THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola: T5 at the TOUR Championship.
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The Open Championship: Withdrew from The Open Championship to return home for the birth of his first child, Jacob Trevor.
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Cialis Western Open: Overcame the two-shot lead of Vijay Singh on final day to capture first TOUR event at the Cialis Western Open, punctuated by a 30-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to clinch two-stroke win over Tiger Woods and Mathew Goggin. Posted rounds of 69-66-69-67–271 to become just the sixth player to post four rounds in the 60s since the event moved to Cog Hill in 1991.
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EDS Byron Nelson Championship: Finished one stroke back of Brett Wetterich at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship to place second for the second consecutive week. Fired an 8-under 64 in the third round to move into a tie for the lead with Adam Scott through 54 holes.
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Wachovia Championship: Finished second at the Wachovia Championship, losing in a one-hole playoff to Jim Furyk for his best finish on TOUR before winning. Three-putt bogey on the 72nd hole forced the playoff with Furyk, who won with a par on the 18th hole in the playoff.
2005 Season
Joined TOUR as a Special Temporary Member after the PGA Championship.
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The Presidents Cup: Chosen as a Captain's Pick for The Presidents Cup by International Team Captain Gary Player. Had 1-3-0 record.
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Masters Tournament: Posted first career major championship top-10 with a T5 at the Masters, aided by a third-round 7-under-par 65 that tied Tiger Woods for low third-round honors. Final-round 73 included a double bogey on par-5 13th and the lone ace of the week on the par-3 16th with a 6-iron from 179 yards.
2004 Season
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Deutsche Bank-SAP Open TPC of Europe: Earned second win of the season at Deutsche Bank-SAP Open TPC of Europe.
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South African Airways Open Championship: Followed in the footsteps of one of his heroes, Gary Player, when he became the first person since the Black Knight in 1976-77 to successfully defend the South African Airways Open. Came from two strokes back after three rounds to win by three strokes.
2003 Season
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World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational: In third career World Golf Championships event, posted first career top-10 on TOUR with a T9 at the NEC Invitational.
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South African Airways Open Championship: Hit approach shot from 169 yards to 6 inches on the first playoff hole against Tim Clark at the South African Open. Tap-in birdie earned first career victory after three previous runner-up finishes and a two-year exemption on the European Tour.
2002 Season
Recorded three seconds on the European Tour.
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Omega European Masters: Finished second at the Omega European Masters.
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Volvo Scandinavian Masters: Finished second at the Volvo Scandinavian Masters.
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Novotel Perrier Open de France: Finished second at the French Open.
2001 Season
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Memorial Tournament: Made the cut as an amateur at the 2001 Memorial Tournament.
2000 Season
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Vodacom Series-Western Cape: Won the 2000 Vodacom Players Championship in his native South Africa.
1999 Season
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Masters Tournament: Made the cut as an amateur at the 1999 Masters.
Amateur Highlights
- 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.