| Investec South African Open Championship | |
| Image Size: | 200px |
| Location: | Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Establishment: | 1903 |
| Course: | Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate |
| Par: | 72 |
| Yardage: | 8233yd |
| Tour: | European Tour Asian Tour Sunshine Tour |
| Format: | Stroke play |
| Month Played: | December |
| Aggregate: | 263 Branden Grace (2020) |
| To-Par: | −24 Ernie Els (2006) |
| Current Champion: |  Dean Burmester |
| Coordinates: | -25.909°N 27.909°W |
| Map: | South Africa#South Africa Gauteng |
| Map Label: | Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate |
| Map Relief: | yes |
| Map Size: | 200 |
The South African Open is one of the oldest national open golf championships in the world, having first been played in 1903, and is one of the principal tournaments on the Southern-Africa-based Sunshine Tour. Since 1997 it has also been co-sanctioned by the European Tour.
The first formal event was organised in 1903, following a series of exhibition matches that had been held over the preceding ten years. The championship was initially contested over just 36 holes until 1908, when it was extended to become a 72-hole tournament.[1] Although non-whites had played in the South African Open before, most notably when Papwa Sewgolum finished second in 1963, it was not until 1972 that black golfers were allowed to compete.[2]
From 2011 until February 2020 it was held in the Johannesburg area; twice at Serengeti Golf Club, followed by five times at Glendower Golf Club, and then twice at Randpark Golf Club. In December 2020 it will move away from Johannesburg and be held at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.
Gary Player has been the most successful player in the tournament's history, with 13 victories over four decades between 1956 and 1981. Bobby Locke won nine titles, Sid Brews won eight titles, and George Fotheringham won the event five times as did Ernie Els.
In December 2018, the event became part of the Open Qualifying Series, giving up to three non-exempt players entry into The Open Championship.
The 2021 event was scheduled to be a co-sanctioned event between the European Tour and the Sunshine Tour. However due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in place in the UK from South Africa, the event was revised as a sole-sanctioned Sunshine Tour event.[3]
From 1999 to 2016, the tournament was the Sunshine Tour's flagship event for the purposes of the Official World Golf Ranking, earning a minimum of 32 OWGR points for the winner. It was replaced as the flagship event for 2017 by the Alfred Dunhill Championship before regaining its status the following year.[4] In 2020, the Alfred Dunhill Championship once again replaced the South African Open as the tour's flagship event.[5] In 2021, the Alfred Dunhill Championship was scheduled to be the flagship event for the second consecutive year. However due to the cancellation of the tournament, the South African Open regained its flagship event status for the first time since the January 2020 event.[6]
| Sunshine Tour (Flagship event) | 1999–2016, 2018–2020 (Jan), 2021 | ||
| Sunshine Tour (Regular) | 1972–1998, 2017, 2020 (Dec), 2022– | ||
| Pre-Sunshine Tour | 1903–1971 |
| Year | Tour(s) | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | Venue | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investec South African Open Championship | ||||||||||
| 113th | 2023 | 277 | −11 | 3 strokes | Blair Atholl | |||||
| 112th | 2022 | 272 | −16 | 1 stroke | Blair Atholl | |||||
| SA Open Championship | ||||||||||
| 111th | 2021 | AFR, | 272 | −16 | 1 stroke | |||||
| South African Open | ||||||||||
| 110th | 2020 (Dec) | 270 | −18 | 5 strokes | ||||||
| 109th | 2020 (Jan) | 263 | −21 | 3 strokes | Louis Oosthuizen | |||||
| 2019: No tournament due to rescheduling from December to January | ||||||||||
| 108th | 2018 (Dec) | 266 | −18 | 6 strokes |  Romain Langasque | Randpark | ||||
| BMW SA Open | ||||||||||
| 107th | 2018 (Jan) | 267 | −21 | 3 strokes | Branden Grace | |||||
| 106th | 2017 | 270 | −18 | Playoff | Rory McIlroy | Glendower | [7] | |||
| 105th | 2016 | 274 | −14 | 2 strokes | Christiaan Bezuidenhout | Glendower | ||||
| South African Open Championship | ||||||||||
| 104th | 2015 | 277 | −11 | Playoff | Charl Schwartzel | Glendower | [8] | |||
| 2014: No tournament due to rescheduling from November to January | ||||||||||
| 103rd | 2013 | 269 | −19 | 2 strokes | Jbe' Kruger Hennie Otto | Glendower | ||||
| SA Open Championship | ||||||||||
| 102nd | 2012 | 271 | −17 | 3 strokes | George Coetzee | |||||
| 101st | 2011 | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke |  Bernd Wiesberger | Serengeti | ||||
| South African Open Championship | ||||||||||
| 100th | 2010 | Ernie Els (5) | 263 | −25 | 1 stroke | Retief Goosen | Durban | |||
| 99th | 2009 | 275 | −13 | Playoff |  Shiv Kapur | [9] | ||||
| 98th | 2008 | 274 | −14 | Playoff | Gareth Maybin | Pearl Valley | [10] | |||
| South African Airways Open | ||||||||||
| 97th | 2007 | 284 | −4 | 1 stroke | Oliver Wilson | Pearl Valley | ||||
| 96th | 2006 | Ernie Els (4) | 264 | −24 | 3 strokes | Trevor Immelman | ||||
| 95th | 2005 (Dec) | Retief Goosen (2) | 282 | −10 | 1 stroke | Ernie Els | ||||
| 94th | 2005 (Jan) | Tim Clark (2) | 273 | −15 | 6 strokes | Grégory Havret Charl Schwartzel | Durban | |||
| 93rd | 2004 | Trevor Immelman (2) | 276 | −12 | 3 strokes | Alastair Forsyth Steve Webster | ||||
| 92nd | 2003 | 274 | −14 | Playoff | Tim Clark | Erinvale | [11] | |||
| Bell's South African Open | ||||||||||
| 91st | 2002 | 269 | −19 | 2 strokes | Steve Webster | The Country Club | ||||
| Mercedes-Benz South African Open | ||||||||||
| 90th | 2001 |  Mark McNulty (2) | 280 | −8 | 1 stroke | Justin Rose | ||||
| 89th | 2000 | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Darren Fichardt Ricardo González Nick Price | Randpark | ||||
| Mercedes-Benz - Vodacom South African Open | ||||||||||
| 88th | 1999 | David Frost (2) | 279 | −5 | 1 stroke |  Scott Dunlap Jeev Milkha Singh | ||||
| South African Open | ||||||||||
| 87th | 1998 | Ernie Els (3) | 273 | −15 | 3 strokes | David Frost | Durban | |||
| 86th | 1997 | 270 | −18 | 1 stroke | Nick Price | Glendower | ||||
| Phillips South African Open | ||||||||||
| 85th | 1996 | Ernie Els (2) | 275 | −13 | 1 stroke | |||||
| 84th | 1995 | 275 | −13 | 5 strokes | Randpark | |||||
| 1994: No tournament due to rescheduling from December to January | ||||||||||
| 83rd | 1993 (Dec) | Tony Johnstone (2) | 267 | −21 | 7 strokes | Durban | ||||
| 82nd | 1993 (Feb) | 279 | −9 | 2 strokes | Glendower | |||||
| Protea Assurance South African Open | ||||||||||
| 81st | 1992 | 273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Houghton | |||||
| 80th | 1991 | Wayne Westner (2) | 272 | −16 | 4 strokes | Durban | ||||
| 79th | 1990 | 285 | −3 | 1 stroke | [12] | |||||
| 78th | 1989 | 278 | −10 | 1 stroke | Glendower | |||||
| Southern Suns South African Open | ||||||||||
| 77th | 1988 | 275 | −13 | 2 strokes | Durban | [13] | ||||
| 76th | 1987 | 278 | −10 | Playoff | Mowbray | [14] [15] | ||||
| 75th | 1986 | 275 | −13 | 3 strokes | [16] | |||||
| South African Open | ||||||||||
| 74th | 1985 | 280 | −8 | 3 strokes | Royal Durban | [17] | ||||
| 73rd | 1984 | 274 | −14 | 3 strokes | Houghton | |||||
| 72nd | 1983 | 278 | −10 | 1 stroke | [18] | |||||
| 1982: No tournament due to rescheduling from December to January | ||||||||||
| Datsun South African Open | ||||||||||
| 71st | 1981 | Gary Player (13) | 272 | −16 | Playoff | [19] | ||||
| 70th | 1980 | Bobby Cole (2) | 279 | −9 | 4 strokes | Durban | [20] | |||
| British Airways/Yellow Pages South African Open | ||||||||||
| 69th | 1979 | Gary Player (12) | 279 | −9 | 1 stroke | Houghton | [21] | |||
| Yellow Pages South African Open | ||||||||||
| 68th | 1978 | 285 | −3 | 1 stroke | Mowbray | [22] | ||||
| 67th | 1977 | Gary Player (11) | 273 | −15 | 3 strokes | |||||
| 66th | 1976 (Nov) | Gary Player (10) | 280 | −8 | 6 strokes | Durban | [23] | |||
| BP South African Open | ||||||||||
| 65th | 1976 (Jan) | 287 | −1 | Playoff | Houghton | [24] | ||||
| 64th | 1975 | Gary Player (9) | 278 | −10 | 6 strokes | Mowbray | [25] | |||
| South African Open | ||||||||||
| 63rd | 1974 | 272 | −16 | 4 strokes | [26] | |||||
| BP South African Open | ||||||||||
| 62nd | 1973 | 282 | −6 | 3 strokes | Durban | [27] | ||||
| South African Open | ||||||||||
| 61st | 1972 | Gary Player (8) | 274 | −18 | 1 stroke | Royal Johannesburg | [28] | |||
| 60th | 1971 | 276 | −12 | 1 stroke | Mowbray | [29] | ||||
| 59th | 1970 | 285 | 3 strokes | Royal Durban | ||||||
| 58th | 1969 | Gary Player (7) | 273 | 6 strokes | Durban | |||||
| 57th | 1968 | Gary Player (6) | 274 | 7 strokes | Houghton | |||||
| 56th | 1967 | Gary Player (5) | 279 | 3 strokes | East London | |||||
| 55th | 1966 | Gary Player (4) | 278 | 1 stroke | Houghton | |||||
| 54th | 1965 | Gary Player (3) | 273 | 3 strokes | ||||||
| 1964: No tournament due to two events in 1963 | ||||||||||
| 53rd | 1963 (Dec) | 278 | 2 strokes | Bloemfontein | ||||||
| 52nd | 1963 (Mar) | Retief Waltman (2) | 281 | 1 stroke | Durban | |||||
| 51st | 1962 | Harold Henning (2) | 285 | 1 stroke | Houghton | |||||
| 50th | 1961 | 289 | 8 strokes | Barry Franklin (a) | East London | |||||
| 49th | 1960 | Gary Player (2) | 280 | 7 strokes | Mowbray | |||||
| 48th | 1959 | Denis Hutchinson (a) | 282 | 1 stroke | ||||||
| 47th | 1958 | Arthur Stewart (a) | 281 | 1 stroke | Bloemfontein | |||||
| 46th | 1957 | 289 | Playoff | Humewood | ||||||
| 45th | 1956 | 286 | 3 strokes | Durban | ||||||
| 44th | 1955 | Bobby Locke (9) | 283 | 1 stroke | Zwartkop | |||||
| 43rd | 1954 | Reg Taylor (a) | 289 | 2 strokes | Jannie le Roux (a) | East London | ||||
| 42nd | 1953 | Jimmy Boyd (a) | 302 | Playoff | ||||||
| 41st | 1952 | Sid Brews (8) | 305 | 1 stroke | Humewood | |||||
| 40th | 1951 | Bobby Locke (8) | 277 | 9 strokes | Houghton | |||||
| 39th | 1950 | Bobby Locke (7) | 280 | 11 strokes | Durban | |||||
| 38th | 1949 | Sid Brews (7) | 291 | 3 strokes | Maccauvlei | |||||
| 37th | 1948 | Mickey Janks (a) | 298 | Playoff | East London | |||||
| 36th | 1947 | Ronnie Glennie (a) | 293 | 1 stroke | Mowbray | |||||
| 35th | 1946 | Bobby Locke (6) | 285 | 14 strokes | Steve Boshoff (a) | |||||
| 1941–1945: No tournament due to World War II | ||||||||||
| 34th | 1940 | Bobby Locke (5) | 293 | 10 strokes | Steve Boshoff (a) | Port Elizabeth | ||||
| 33rd | 1939 | Bobby Locke (4) | 279 | 8 strokes | Maurice Bodmer (a) Clarence Olander (a) | Durban | ||||
| 32nd | 1938 | Bobby Locke (3) | 279 | 5 strokes | Maccauvlei | |||||
| 31st | 1937 | Bobby Locke (a) (2) | 288 | 11 strokes | Clarence Olander (a) | East London | ||||
| 30th | 1936 | Clarence Olander (a) | 297 | Playoff | J Robertson | |||||
| 29th | 1935 | Bobby Locke (a) | 296 | 3 strokes | Jock Verwey (a) | Parkview | ||||
| 28th | 1934 | Sid Brews (6) | 319 | 7 strokes | Jock Verwey (a) | Humewood | ||||
| 27th | 1933 | Sid Brews (5) | 297 | 3 strokes | Maccauvlei | |||||
| 26th | 1932 | 304 | 4 strokes | Mowbray | ||||||
| 25th | 1931 | Sid Brews (4) | 302 | 3 strokes | Port Elizabeth | |||||
| 24th | 1930 | Sid Brews (3) | 297 | 11 strokes | East London | |||||
| 23rd | 1929 | 315 | 1 stroke | |||||||
| 22nd | 1928 | Jock Brews (4) | 297 | 1 stroke | Durban | |||||
| 21st | 1927 | Sid Brews (2) | 301 | 5 strokes | Maccauvlei | |||||
| 20th | 1926 | Jock Brews (3) | 301 | 9 strokes | Port Elizabeth | |||||
| 19th | 1925 | 295 | 3 strokes | Johannesburg | ||||||
| 18th | 1924 | 316 | 9 strokes | Durban | ||||||
| 17th | 1923 | Jock Brews (2) | 315 | 1 stroke | ||||||
| 16th | 1922 | 310 | 7 strokes | Port Alfred | ||||||
| 15th | 1921 | 316 | 3 strokes | Port Elizabeth | ||||||
| 14th | 1920 | Laurie Waters (4) | 302 | 2 strokes | Johannesburg | |||||
| 13th | 1919 | 320 | 9 strokes | Hugh Gordon Stewart (a) | Durban | |||||
| 1915–1918: No tournament due to World War I | ||||||||||
| 12th | 1914 | George Fotheringham (5) | 299 | 20 strokes | ||||||
| 11th | 1913 | Jimmy Prentice (a) | 304 | 2 strokes | Kimberley | |||||
| 10th | 1912 | George Fotheringham (4) | 305 | 10 strokes | Potchefstroom | |||||
| 9th | 1911 | George Fotheringham (3) | 301 | 11 strokes | Durban | |||||
| 8th | 1910 | George Fotheringham (2) | 315 | 5 strokes | ||||||
| 7th | 1909 | 306 | 2 strokes | Potchefstroom | ||||||
| 6th | 1908 | 294 | 9 strokes | Port Elizabeth | ||||||
| 5th | 1907 | Laurie Waters (3) | 147 | 5 strokes | Kimberley | |||||
| 4th | 1906 | Arthur Gray (2) | 151 | 3 strokes | H. F. Watson (a) | East London | ||||
| 3rd | 1905 | Playoff | Garrison Club | |||||||
| 2nd | 1904 | Laurie Waters (2) | 143 | 4 strokes | Johannesburg | |||||
| 1st | 1903 | 163 | 3 strokes | J. W. Stewart | Port Elizabeth | |||||