Martin Couvra tees it up in the SDC Open at Zebula Golf Estate & Spa for the opening week of the 2024 Road to Mallorca with full playing rights on the Challenge Tour.
The Frenchman had a break-through 2023 where he became only the seventh amateur in history to win on the Challenge Tour after coming out on top in a play-off at the Challenge de España.
The 21-year-old turned professional the following week, making it into the season-ending Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A as the last man in the field.
With a new season to look forward to, we caught up with Martin to find out about a whirlwind 12 months and how preparation has been ahead of his first full season as a professional.
“Last year really was amazing for me. At the start of the year I just wanted to have a card on the Challenge Tour at the end of the season, so to win once and to play in the Rolex Grand Final was a bonus. With a good final week, to have had the chance to get a DP World Tour card was great.
“It gave me motivation playing in the Rolex Grand Final. It was good for me to be there. If I can get to Mallorca again this year, it’ll be nice as I now know the course there and how to play it.
“To see a lot of friends get promoted, like Tom (Vaillant), Ugo (Coussaud) and Fred (Lacroix), gave me that extra boost.
“It was a very nice season for me, and I had some invites onto the DP World Tour at the end of the year too, so it was good to have that experience.
“It was amazing to have those starts on the DP World Tour, playing with some great players. This year is hopefully my time to join my friends there with a full card for 2025 the aim.
“Over the off-season I’ve played a lot in Dubai, training with some of my friends and players from France. I’ve rested but have also been building to hopefully play some good golf this week and this year.
“I haven’t played this course before but it’s incredible to see the giraffes on the course. It’s a nice place and I really like South Africa so it’s good to be here.
“I don’t want to have a result focus this week, I just want to enjoy it and play some great golf on the course and we’ll see at the end of the tournament where that puts me. I’m excited to get going.”
The SDC Open is one of four consecutive co-sanctioned events with the Sunshine Tour with play in the season-opening event getting under way on Thursday.
