It’s time to vote for your Golfer of the Month for January.
A new golfing decade got under way at the South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg before the traditional Desert Swing started in the United Arab Emirates with the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Following a fantastic start to 2020 here are your January Golfer of the Month nominees...
Branden Grace
South African Grace secured his first victory in over two years by triumphing on home soil at the South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg at Randpark Golf Club. The 31-year-old produced a masterful putting display in a closing 62 to hold off defending champion Louis Oosthuizen, finishing three shots clear of his countryman to secure his ninth European Tour title and a spot in The Open Championship. His victory in Johannesburg marks his return to form following his tie for third place at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December and is his first since his Rolex Series triumph at the 2017 Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player. His triumph sees him complete the set of the biggest trophies in South African golf after also winning the Joburg Open, Alfred Dunhill Championship and Dimension Data Pro-Am.
Lucas Herbert
The Australian won his first European Tour title in dramatic circumstances at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic by beating Christiaan Bezuidenhout on the second extra hole. The duo began the day six shots off the lead but both carded excellent rounds of 68 in testing conditions to set up a play-off. It was during the first trip back down the 18th hole at Emirates Golf Club where the drama unfolded as Herbert sent his second shot into the water and was forced to take his fourth shot from the drop zone. The 24-year-old produced a sublime wedge shot to leave himself with a tap-in par to force an extra hole, which he calmly dispatched. His second shot next time around could not have been more different, as he got within 20 feet and a two-putt birdie handed him the title.
Louis Oosthuizen
Louis Oosthuizen did not taste victory in January, however back-to-back top fives made for the perfect start to the new decade. The nine-time European Tour winner began the year as defending champion of the South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg and went so close to successfully retaining the title, however he finished three shots short of eventual winner Branden Grace and had to settle for second, despite carding a hole-in-one at the par three eighth hole. The 37-year-old made the trip from his home country to the Middle East for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA, the first Rolex Series event of the year, and Oosthuizen continued his good form. He carded four under par rounds to finish on 15 under par and in fifth position to improve his Rolex Series record to five top tens in seven starts. The 2010 Open Champion finished the month at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, where he finished in a tie for 23rd place to retain his position of sixth in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex.
Lee Westwood
The 46-year-old became the first active golfer to win across four separate decades when he triumphed at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA. The Englishman now has 25 European Tour wins to his name and with victory at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, became the eighth man to win multiple Rolex Series events. Westwood showed nerves of steel to triumph in the Desert as he held off the challenge of Tommy Fleetwood and Victor Perez, who both carded final rounds of 63 to put the pressure on the ten-time Ryder Cup player, however his closing round of 67 was enough to win the first Rolex Series event of the year.
Voting closes 09:00 on 7th February. To cast your vote visit our Twitter Poll here.
