Brandon Stone is relishing his return to the Mother City as he prepares to tee it up in this week’s Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open.
Royal Cape Golf Club will stage the first of four consecutive co-sanctioned events with the Sunshine Tour and will mark the beginning of the 2023 Road to Mallorca season, which will feature 29 events across 18 different countries.
Stone, a four-time DP World Tour winner, earned his maiden professional victory at the 2015 edition of the event and tees it up this week alongside six other past champions, including ten-time Sunshine Tour winner Jaco Ahlers.
“I can’t wait to get going this week,” he said. “It’s always a reward being able to play back in South Africa and I really enjoy coming down to Cape Town with some beautiful sunshine.
“I got my first professional win here in 2015 and I always enjoy this event. Cape Town is an amazing place and we’re very fortunate to have a tournament here this week because it’s a world class city and there’s so much to do.”
The 29-year-old claimed his third DP World Tour title at the 2018 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open after an emphatic final round of 60, and Stone believes he is not far away from reaching those heights again.
“I’ve had a break and been able to reset mentally which is nice,” he said. “Since the New Year I’ve been working hard with my coach and my game feels ready to compete again.
“I feel like I’m getting back to my best after a tough two years and hopefully I can bring that confidence into my golf game.”
The South African, who won his first Challenge Tour title at the 2021 Limpopo Championship, believes the relationship between the Sunshine Tour and the European Tour group presents an incredible opportunity for local players.
“The relationship between the Challenge Tour and the Sunshine Tour is growing every year and it’s amazing to see Challenge Tour events here because it creates a real pathway for South African players.”
Stone joins a strong field in Cape Town this week, which includes 2016 Ryder Cup player Chris Wood and former Challenge Tour Number Ones Francesco Laporta, Ricardo Gouveia and Andrea Pavan.
The Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open will get under way at 6:45am local time on Thursday February 2, with Stone teeing it up alongside Wood and England’s Callan Barrow at 8:05am.
