If the high winds—swirling in from the Southern Indian Ocean—gusting frantically across the fairways of the Mont Choisy Golf Club forebode difficult playing conditions ahead, then 23-year old Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams’ stellar efforts to surmount them marked him out as a potential contender. Last Wednesday, one day before things got underway at the 2024 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, an unflustered Williams meticulously dismantled the defence put up by this formidable golf course on the Mauritian coastline.
The stocky ‘rookie of the year’, on the tier-three continental Sunshine Tour, has already secured full playing rights on the DP World Tour; nearly broken through with a win (he lost in the playoff at the SDC Championship); and been taken under Gary Player’s wing by none other than the great man himself (who sees a great deal of potential in Williams). And it’s not hard to see why: playing the pro-am with Williams on Wednesday, I saw upclose a golfer who blends youthful swagger with the steely focus of someone twice his age. His drives? Pulverised. His irons? Long and surgical: 300 yards off the tee with a three-iron and laser-like approaches with his wedges. His mental game? Unfazed, even when swirling winds conspired against us. “It’ll be a fun week!” he shrugged, “There’s going to be a lot of wind but then everyone has to deal with that!” Williams plays with a maturity beyond his years, a quiet confidence that feels like the beginning of something significant.
Alas, not this week. Golf, as we all know, is fickle at the best of times. At the time this column is being written, the third round is well underway, and Williams, after shooting a cumulative two-over par, isn’t in the fray on the weekend. Despite that outcome, Williams has made quite an impression on those of us who had never seen him lay before. The world is going to see and hear a lot more from this young man in the time to come.
Going into the weekend, leading the pack are England’s Eddie Pepperell and Denmark’s Hamish Brown, both sitting at 8-under par. Pepperell, a seasoned campaigner with two European Tour victories to his name, has exhibited a masterclass in course management. His opening round of 66, highlighted by a flurry of birdies in the closing holes, set the tone for his campaign. A second-round 70 kept him firmly in contention. Brown, a Danish rookie making waves in his debut season, has matched Pepperell’s performance shot for shot. Back-to-back rounds of 68 powered by a fluid swing and an unflappable demeanour, and punctuated by a series of early birdies, indicate a player who starts strong and maintains momentum.
Just one stroke adrift at 7-under are South Africa’s Christo Lamprecht and yet another Dane—Jacob Skov Olesen. Lamprecht, standing at an imposing 6’8”, wields his driver like a sceptre commanding the par-5s with prodigious length off the tee. His aggressive play has paid dividends, positioning him as a formidable contender. Olesen, in contrast, embodies precision and consistency. His bogey-free opening round of 67, underscored how confident this young man, merely a month into his career as a professional, is. It’s hard to comprehend that Olesen won the Amateur Championship this very year at Ballyliffin. Just what is it with these young amateurs coming out of Scandinavia? First Ludvig Aberg and now Olesen, these young players have telescoped the time frame it used to take for amateurs transitioning to the pro ranks. Learning curve anyone?
Mont Choisy GC is pretty all right—with its undulating terrain, peppered with black lava outcrops and dramatic greens—but the par 72, 6550-metre Peter Matkovich design has proven to be more than a scenic postcard. The wide open fairways are designed to lull players into complacency; the slick, multi-tiered greens require approaches that require length as well as precision off the tee. From the short, devilish par-4 6th to the closing stretch where the wind often changes direction at the drop of a hat, this course has kept the players on edge.
The closing stretch is particularly treacherous. The par-3 16th, though short, is guarded by water and prevailing winds that can wreak havoc on club selection. The par-5 18th offers a tantalising risk-reward scenario, with players tempted to go for the green in two, a decision fraught with peril given the lurking hazards. It’s a finishing hole designed for last gasp finishes and television. If you can, then tune in for the finale that will be ongoing as you read this on Sunday.
For those of us in the gallery this week, the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is a special treat. A laid back island vibe and convivial atmosphere at a venue that’s sandwiched between volcanic hills and cerulean waters; where players let their hair down after the round, don some ‘tropical chic’, and guiltlessly sip pina coladas next to the oceanfront. The Mauritius Open is, after all, the only tri-sanctioned event on the calendar (Asian, Sunshine, and DP World Tours), and with it comes a diverse field. South African veterans, hungry Asian talents, and a sprinkle of European hopefuls, all hoping to make a cracking start to the opening swing of the new season on Tour. At the same time, it’s that time of the year when everyone is transitioning into the holiday spirit. Happy golfing everyone!
A golfer, Meraj Shah also writes about the game