Staff WriterMichael Hollick capped off the Sunshine Tour season in style with a victory that mirrored the high standards he set at the season’s start.
Hollick’s brilliant performance at the DNi Tour Championship presented by RMB at the Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate on Sunday was a masterclass in composure and skill.
Hollick closed with a sublime 64 to win on 19 under par—one clear of Jacques Kruyswijk and George Coetzee.
“After playing sort of part-time the last two years and coaching, I’ve played really nicely for the past three or four months, so there has been progress.
Sometimes you’ve just got to believe in yourself a bit. I think that’s what happened.
It’s been an absolutely special year,” said Hollick, who also ignited the season with a win at the FBC Zimbabwe Open.
As the final day unfolded, the battle for supremacy was fierce. Heading into the back nine, both Kruyswijk and Coetzee were hot on Hollick’s trail.
Yet, with nerves of steel and a perfectly executed second shot onto the green at the par-five 18th, Hollick set up a birdie finish that sealed his triumph.
But Sunday wasn’t a one-man show. Daniel van Tonder was crowned the winner of the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy for the 2024/25 season, while Altin van der Merwe took home the Fortress Rookie of the Year award.
Interestingly, the top three players on the Order of Merit—van Tonder, Jonathan Broomhead, and Yurav Premlall—secured their DP World Tour cards.
And should van Tonder claim another card through the HotelPlanner Tour this season, his spot might just pass on to Michael Hollick as the next highest-ranked non-exempt player.
The rewards were as varied as they were lucrative. As the Order of Merit winner, van Tonder bagged exemptions into The Open and US PGA Championship, the Nedbank Golf Challenge, a R500 000 bonus, a Hyundai Palisade for one year, and a seven-night international cruise worth R75 000 courtesy of MSC Cruises.
“This means a lot to me, especially after twice finishing second on the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy.
So to finally win it means so much to me. There are some great tournaments I can look forward to, and I’m finally going to be playing in the Nedbank Golf Challenge,” said van Tonder.
Not to be outdone, Shaun Norris, as the runner-up in the season standings, received a R200 000 bonus and the use of a Hyundai Tucson for one year, while third-placed Dylan Naidoo earned a R100 000 bonus along with the use of a Hyundai Exter for one year.
For Altin van der Merwe, his first season on the Sunshine Tour was a memorable debut. Crowned Fortress Rookie of the Year, he enjoyed a season filled with lessons and near misses.
“It means everything to me. I’ve been looking forward to playing pro golf and the Sunshine Tour for the last seven years, so I could never have asked for a better first season.
I’ve learnt a couple of lessons this season so I’m looking forward to next season,” said Van Der Merwe.
Adding to the festive atmosphere, Gayton McKenzie, Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, was on hand to praise the event.
“You look at everybody involved in this Sunshine Tour event, and this is what makes us a great country – all of the corporates who are backing our sport. In my opinion, South Africa has the best golfers in the world.
Wherever you travel in the world, they either ask me about our golf or the Springboks,” he said.
Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, summed up the season’s success, “It’s been an incredible season with so many memorable moments and an array of incentives for our golfers from all of our wonderful partners.
That’s what we keep working for – to create those pathways for our professionals to further their careers. We’re grateful for all of our partners for their support.
I’d also like to thank everybody who played a role in making this such a successful season, from the Nomads who help with the scoring at all of our tournaments to SuperSport and the media, to GolfRSA and the other golf bodies we work so closely with, and to all who play a part in this amazing product that is South African golf.”
As the curtain falls on this thrilling season, Michael Hollick’s achievement stands as a testament to perseverance and passion—a fitting tribute to a tour that continues to enrich South Africa’s proud golfing legacy.
