Dawie van der Walt

Exempt status

• PGA TOUR: Top 50 from 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour (thru 2021-22)

JOINED TOUR

• Korn Ferry Tour: 2011
• PGA TOUR: 2016

Korn Ferry Tour Victories (2)

2015 Season

• Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper
• Chile Classic

International Victories (2)

• 2013 Tshwane Open [Eur]
• 2013 The Nelson Mandela Championship [Eur]

PLAYOFF RECORD

KORN FERRY TOUR (0-1)

• 2014 Lost to Steven Alker, Cleveland Open

Personal

• Favorite golf course is Robert Trent Jones.
• Would like to play Augusta National. Favorite professional team is the New Orleans Saints and Texans. Favorite movie is "The Patriot." Favorite entertainer is Shakira.
• Favorite athlete to watch is LeBron James.
• Favorite cities to visit are Las Vegas and Hermanus, South Africa. Favorite food is sushi.
• Would round out his dream foursome with Philip Kief, Dan Bilzerian and Justin Timberlake.
• Bucket list includes winning a major championship on the PGA TOUR and to fly in a SR71 blackbird.

Special Interests

• Playing Call of Duty on Xbox, shooting guns

Career Highlights

2021 Season

Posted consecutive top-15s in the final two events of the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Finals, finishing No. 17 among The Finals 25 and securing his second PGA TOUR card (previously earned his first at the end of the 2015 Korn Ferry Tour season). One of two players who played all 46 events of the combined 2020-21 season, which saw him post six top-10s and a season-high solo second at the 2021 AdventHealth Championship. Also finished No. 38 on the 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List.

• Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna: Opened with a 4-under 67 and totaled a 10-under 274 for a T9, his first top-10 in roughly three months, at the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna.
• AdventHealth Championship: Rose to a runner-up finish at 17-under with weekend rounds of 66-68 at the AdventHealth Championship.
• Club Car Championship at The Landings Club: Carded a second-round 7-under 65, hit the first hole-in-one of his Korn Ferry Tour career as part of a third-round 3-under 69, and finished T10 at 13-under 275 at the Club Car Championship at The Landings Club.

2020 Season

• Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance: Held a share of the first-round lead at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance after opening with an 8-under 64. Finished the week T6 at 15-under 273.
• Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank: Spurred by a third-round 8-under 63, finished T8 at 17-under 267 at the Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank.

2019 Season

Finished the season at No. 64 on the Regular Season points list. Recorded six top-25 finishes in 16 starts, including a season-best T3 finish at the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes. Finished 42nd in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

• TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes: Carded a final-round 67 to finish T3 at the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes, his first top-10 of the season.

2018 Season

• Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Heartland Chevy Dealers: Held a share of the 36-hole lead at the Pinnacle Bank Championship before a third-round 69 gave him sole possession of the 54-hole lead. Entered the final round with a two-stroke advantage and posted an even-par 71 for a T4 finish.

2017 Season

Finished the Regular Season at No. 103 on the money list. Recorded three top-25 finishes in 20 starts.

• News Sentinel Open presented by Pilot: Finished T15 at the News Sentinel Open.

2016 Season

Made 11 cuts in 25 starts on the PGA TOUR and recorded one top-25. Finished 171st in the FedExCup standings. Made the cut in one of four starts on the Korn Ferry Tour.

2015 Season

Finished the Korn Ferry Tour season with 19 starts, two wins, six top-10s, eight top-25s and 15 made cuts. Was third in the final priority-ranking order. Finished the Regular Season No. 3 on the money list, securing his PGA TOUR card for the first time. Was No. 1 in Greens In Regulation Percentage (75.85) during the Regular Season. In South Africa, recorded a T15 (Tshwane Open), a T24 and a missed cut. Was No. 1 in Greens In Regulation Percentage (75.85) during the Regular Season. Finished the Regular Season No. 3 on the money list, securing his PGA TOUR card for the first time.

• Web.com Tour Championship: Came to the season finale, the Web.com Tour Championship, as the season-long No. 2 money winner, with a mathematical chance of catching No. 1 Patton Kizzire. Trailed Kizzire by $167,131, with a first prize of $180,000 available. A T5 finish by Kizzire ended his chances.
• Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship: Added another top-10 the next week at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship, closing with a 68 to finish T5.
• Hotel Fitness Championship: Missed the cut at the Hotel Fitness Championship to open the Korn Ferry Tour Finals but rebounded the next week at the Small Business Connection Championship at River Run with steady rounds of 69-68-70-70 to claim a T7, his fifth top 10 of the year.
• Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper: Picked up his second win of the season, at the Price Cutter Charity Championship. Opened with a bogey-free 63 in Springfield, to trail Chase Wright by one. Jumped to the top of the leaderboard with a 7-under 65 on Friday to enter the weekend with a one-stroke advantage over Wes Roach. Finished off his third round birdie-birdie to extend his lead to four over Smylie Kaufman and Martin Piller. The 7-under-par round set a new 54-hole tournament record (23-under-par 193). Started Sunday with a birdie on the first hole but struggled from there. Made a string of pars, then dropped a shot at the seventh hole. Answered Kaufman's eagle at the par-5, 11th hole with a two-putt birdie to stay ahead by two. Was never threatened down the stretch and made a two-putt, par-5 on the last hole for a two-stroke victory. Collected $121,500 and jumped from No. 16 to No. 3 on the money list.
• Air Capital Classic presented by Aetna: Started the Air Capital Classic with a 64 to finish the first day within one shot of the leader. Carded 67-70 and trailed by four heading into Sunday. Posted a 67 in the final round for a T6.
• Rust-Oleum Championship: In July, matched the course record at Lakewood CC with a 9-under 62 in the opening round of the Rust-Oleum Championship to grab a two-stroke lead after 18 holes. Went on to T18 after not breaking 70 in the final three rounds.
• Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by NACHER: Followed his win with a T9 performance at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open the following week. Was tied for 64th after 36 holes, then fired a third-round 65 that included a double bogey on the 18th hole. Birded three of the last five holes in the final round to post a 4-under 67.
• Chile Classic: Four days after the Tshwane Open concluded, made his Korn Ferry Tour season debut, at the Chile Classic, where he earned his first career victory. Fired a 6-under 65 in the final round to win by two shots. Moved into contention with a wind-blown, 7-under 64 Thursday afternoon and hovered near the lead the rest of the way. Started the final round one shot off the lead but moved up the leaderboard with birdies on four of his first six holes. Grabbed the lead on the back nine and was ahead by one as he approached the par-5 18th. Closest challengers were Wes Roach and 54-hole leader Craig Barlow in the final pairing, but both bogeyed the 17th hole to give him some breathing room. Playing in the next-to-last pairing, got up and down from the front of the green for birdie to finish at 21-under. Became the sixth South African-born player to win on Tour. Collected $108,000 for his efforts at Mapocho GC, the only public course in the country. Moved to No. 5 on the money list through five events.
• Abu Dhabi Golf Championship: Opened the year playing on the European Tour and Sunshine Tour in his native South Africa. Made four starts on the European Tour, with a T20 in his first event, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, his top performance. Followed with a T46, a T29 and a missed cut.

2014 Season

• The Open Championship: In July, missed the cut in the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
• Cleveland Open: Lone top-10 came in June when he lost in a Tour-record 11-hole playoff to Steven Alker at the Cleveland Open. Birdied the 71st and 72nd holes to tie for the lead. Matched pars with Alker over the first 10 extra holes, only to lose to a birdie on the 11th. Moved to No. 22 on the money list, his high mark for the year.
• World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship: In March, made his first PGA TOUR start, qualifying for the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship as a result of his 2013 finish on the South African Tour order of merit. Finished 65th.
• Investec Cup: Made five appearances on the Southern Africa Tour, making two cuts, with a T6 at the Investec Cup in March his best result.
• Commercial Bank Qatar Masters: On the European Tour, made 10 starts. Made the cut in the first seven, with his best finish a T9 at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in late-January after opening with a 7-under 65.

2013 Season

Played in 17 Korn Ferry Tour events, making eight cuts. Had one top-10 and four top-25s. Finished the Regular Season 53rd on the money list. Took two months off from May through July to play on the European Tour in order to meet minimum standards to retain playing privileges. Managed to make only one cut in seven starts. Did not make a cut in any of his four starts during the Finals to close out the season.

• News Sentinel Open Presented by Pilot: Returned to the Korn Ferry Tour at the end of July. Finished T25 at the News Sentinel Open.
• Brasil Classic Presented by HSBC: On the Korn Ferry Tour, was solo second at the inaugural Brasil Classic in Sao Paulo after posting scores of 69-66-65-66. Finished at 18-under par and one back of winner Benjamin Alvarado. Rolled in a birdie putt at No. 16 to tie for the Sunday lead. After Alvarado birdied the 17th hole to go one ahead, with a chance to tie Alvarado he missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole that would have forced a playoff.
• The Nelson Mandela Championship: Earned a second title late in the season, at The Nelson Mandela Championship in Durban, South Africa. At the weather-shortened event, he used three rounds in the 60s in the 54-hole tournament, including a second-round 62, to edge Matthew Baldwin and Jorge Campillo by two strokes at Mount Edgecombe CC.
• Tshwane Open: Earned his first European Tour title, with a two-stroke victory over Darren Fichardt at the Tshwane Open. Began the event at Copperleaf Golf and Country Estate in Centurion, South Africa, with a 4-under 68 then came back with a 65 to sit in a tie for second at the halfway mark, a stroke behind 36-hole leader Charl Coetzee. Fired back-to-back 67s on the weekend, including a four-birdie, one-eagle, one-bogey performance Sunday to capture the biggest win of his career.

2012 Season

Made the cut in 12 of 18 starts and had two top-10 and six top-25 finishes. Led the Tour in the Bounce Back category and was also ninth in Greens in Regulation. Highest spot on the money list was No. 29 in mid-September.

• Mylan Classic: Was T7 at the Mylan Classic near Pittsburgh.
• Cox Classic Presented by Lexus of Omaha: Enjoyed a career-best finish with his runner-up effort at the Cox Classic where he fired an 11-under-par 60 in the final round but wound up three shots back of winner Ben Kohles. Started the final round seven shots back of the lead and charged into contention with a 6-under 29 on the front nine. An eagle at No. 10 and a birdie at No. 12 put him 9-under and a threat to shoot 59 or lower on the par-71 Champions Run course. Had several chances down the stretch, including a missed 8-foot eagle putt at No. 17 and a missed 6-foot birdie putt at 18. Payday moved him up to No. 35 on the money list. Finished the week No. 2 in Greens in Regulation but wound up No. 73 (out of 77) in Putts Per Round.

2011 Season

• Midwest Classic Presented by Time Warner Cable: Made the cut in seven of 18 events and had four top-25 finishes in consecutive starts. Highlight of the year came at the Midwest Classic, where he fired opening rounds of 70-67 but headed back to Houston figuring he had missed the cut. He later discovered that he made the cut and survived an adventurous all-night quest to return to Kansas City. After weather delays forced an overnight stay at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, he arrived at the course with only a couple of minutes to spare, changed clothes in the parking lot, hurried to the tee and promptly went out to post his best round of the year, an 8-under 63. Added a 67 Sunday to finish T11, also his best of the year.

2009 Season

• Onion Creek Classic: Won the Onion Creek Classic on the Hooters Tour in 2009.
• Louisiana Open: Captured an Adams Tour tournament for a second consecutive year, the Louisiana Open.

2008 Season

Won the Merril Lynch event on the Adams Tour.

Amateur Highlights

• Won the South Africa Amateur in 2002. First-team All-American selection in 2007 at Lamar University. Won regionals and the conference championship in 2007. Was the conference player of the year 2006-2007.