SA trio ready for Dubai debut

For a professional golfer on the European Tour, making it through to this week’s DP World Tour Championship is the sign of an impressive season. And for three young South Africans this week’s Race to Dubai finale is exactly that reward.

Dylan Frittelli, Haydn Porteous and Dean Burmester have all reached a significant milestone in their careers as they’ve qualified for the Race to Dubai showpiece tournament for the first time.

All three have won on the European Tour this year. Burmester claimed his maiden European Tour title by winning the Tshwane Open in March. Frittelli also won his maiden European Tour title this year in July’s Lyoness Open. And Porteous added a second European Tour title with his victory in the D&D Real Czech Masters in September.

Frittelli rocketed up the Race to Dubai rankings into 20^th place going into this week thanks largely to his finish of tied second in the Turkish Airlines Open, a Rolex Series tournament.

“Rolex Series events are always at the top of my list – or anybody’s list on the European Tour,” said Frittelli.

“It’s been a good season so far. I’ve only got this event left, and not a lot can change. The only way it can change is on the upside. So if I do well it could set me up even better for next year and give me some extra time off next year maybe. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season and 2018 coming up now.”

Frittelli is the second highest ranked South African on the Race to Dubai after Branden Grace, who climbed to ninth following his victory in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, hosted by Gary Player.

Burmester can also thank a solid performance in one of the Rolex Series tournaments as boosting his rise up the rankings to 56^th this week and just inside the top 60 who qualified. He finished tied ninth in the BMW PGA Championship this year.

And Porteous’s share of 12^th place in last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge, hosted by Gary Player, lifted him to 57^th place to also secure a spot in this week’s field.