Lawrence ready to make more memories at Joburg Open
Defending champion Thriston Lawrence returns to the Joburg Open on Thursday hoping he can dish up more life-changing success.
Lawrence won the 2021 event, co-sanctioned by the Sunshine and DP World tours, to thrust himself into a dream world of golf, adding victory at the Omega European Masters and making his Major debut at the Open at St Andrews.
And that, he said on Wednesday, was the beginning.
“It’s where my dreams came true. It’s obviously not all the dreams I want to achieve, but it’s the start and you have to start somewhere. I’m really looking forward to it.”
The Houghton golf course, the new host for the tournament, was adorned with a banner sporting a photo of him holding the trophy.
“It motivates you because if you’re there once you want to be there again. It does add a little indirect pressure because you want to defend it well and to give yourself a chance,” Lawrence added.
“I think the most important thing for me is just to keep on doing what I did this year. A lot of people tend to change things. Yes, you obviously need to process last year and what you did wrong, but for me if you keep it simple and keep on doing what worked I think it can only go well.”
Meanwhile, there will be two new co-sanctioned DP World Tour events this season, the $1.5m SDC Championship at St Francis Links from March 16-19 and the $1.5m Jonsson Workwear Open at Steyn City from March 23-26.
This brings to six the number of co-sanctioned events on the Sunshine Tour, alongside the Joburg Open, the SA Open at Blair Atholl from December 1-4, the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek from December 8-11 and the Mauritius Open from December 15-18.
“We are delighted to further strengthen our long-standing relationship with the Sunshine Tour by adding these two new co-sanctioned tournaments that significantly enhance what has always been a popular destination for our members. We have worked very hard with the Sunshine Tour to develop the global pathway that we now offer and we’re seeing the fruits of this with the exciting new talent emerging from the Sunshine Tour and earning a place on the DP World Tour,” said DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley.
Four Challenge Tour events have been confirmed for 2023, starting with the $350,000 Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open at Royal Cape from February 2-5.