Everything you need to know from day one of the new DP World Tour season.
History was made, Angel had wings, JC was chasing the ace and Ashley was dreaming of Home on day one of the Joburg Open.
Here is everything you need to know from Thursday at Randpark Golf Club.
Burmester has the honour
Home favourite Dean Burmester had the honour of hitting the first tee shot on the DP World Tour as a new era in golf dawned. DP World and the European Tour group earlier this month announced a ground-breaking evolution to their long-term partnership, with DP World becoming the new title sponsor of the group’s main tour from the start of the 2022 season. The action got under way at 6.30am in South Africa, one of 27 different countries the global Tour will visit across the next 12 months, with players competing in 47 tournaments for a total prize fund of more than US$200million. After hitting the first shot, Burmester said: "A great partnership and what a great name, DP World Tour. It's a world tour and what an honour to be able to hit that first tee shot. I think everybody here is going to be over the moon with the start of it and what better place than back home in South Africa for me."
Hidalgo hits the heights
Angel Hidalgo had never broken 70 or made a cut on the DP World Tour before Thursday. In his defence, he had only played three events, but the Spaniard, who narrowly missed out on European Challenge Tour graduation last season, carded an opening 65 to get to six under in Johannesburg and lead the way. "It gives me a lot of confidence," he said. "It's a privilege to be playing here with the best and let's start the party. It was so fun. I was a little bit nervous in the morning but I started really good and that gave me the opportunity to have fun and make some putts." South Africa's Thriston Lawrence was also at six under but he still had a hole to complete after storms saw play ended early.
A perfect start
There were 31 holes-in-one in the 2021 season and we already have our first of the new campaign. JC Ritchie hit a seven iron from 221 yards at the 17th and saw it take three good hops before rolling into the cup. Unfortunately for the South African, the Jaguar F-Type sat on the tee box is only available for the first ace over the weekend. But he will forever be the man who made the first hole-in-one of the DP World Tour era. "It was my first hole-in-one on Tour so it was pretty cool," said Ritchie. "I had to land a seven iron perfect, I needed to pitch it on a small little slope and feed it down to the hole and halfway through there it was exactly how I wanted it, it took a perfect bounce and went in."
Chesters aiming for St Andrews
The top three players in the top ten not already exempt this week will earn a place at The Open Championship at St Andrews in July. Ashley Chesters knows a thing or two about playing the Old Course in the game's oldest Major Championship, having finished in a tie for 12th as an amateur in 2015. He may not have registered a top ten in over two years but after an opening 66, he could be heading for a very useful one on Sunday. "I did well in The Open in 2015 and I did say at the time... I'd love to go back and try and do the same thing as a professional," he said. "It may give me a little bit of an added bonus but it's a long way off yet."
No putter required
New season, same brilliance. Welcome to the DP World Tour Challenge Tour graduate Frederic Lacroix.
