The 2022 Road to Mallorca remains in South Africa for the Jonsson Workwear Open – the third of seven events co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour. Here are our three men to keep an eye out for this week…
Form horse
Denmark’s Nicolai Kristensen came out of the blocks firing with a fourth place finish at the Dimension Data Pro-Am. The 29-year-old finished on a 16 under par total, which included a bogey-free second round of 64 at Fancourt Golf Estate. The Dane finished in a tie for 41st in last week’s Bain's Whisky Cape Town Open but recorded a final round of 66 and he will be looking to take that positive momentum into the week ahead. Kristensen finished 34th on the 2021 Road to Mallorca Rankings but will be hoping to break into the top 20 in 2022 and emulate the success of countrymen and former European Challenge Tour Number One’s Marcus Helligkilde, JB Hansen and Thomas Bjørn.
Local boy
Two-time DP World Tour winner Haydn Porteous tee’s it up on home soil this week looking to add to his impressive back catalogue. The South African secured his first professional victory at the Challenge Tour’s 2015 Barclays Kenya Open before his two DP World Tour wins came at the 2016 Joburg Open, which was co-sanctioned between the DP World Tour and the Sunshine Tour, and 2017 D+D REAL Czech Masters. The 27-year-old has struggled for form on the DP World Tour since but recorded a tenth place finish at the Dimension Data Pro-Am and will be looking to build on that in Durban.
The outsider
Christopher Feldborg Nielsen arrives at the Jonsson Workwear Open full of confidence after a sensational 2021. The Swede was crowned the 2021 Nordic Golf League Number One after three victories last season, including a dramatic win at the Road to Europe Tour Final, the final event of the 2021 Nordic Golf League season and subsequently earnt graduation to the Challenge Tour for 2022. The 29-year-old made 19 Challenge Tour starts in 2018 but will feel more prepared to tackle the Road to Mallorca this time around after a brilliant season on the Nordic Golf League. Feldborg Nielsen showed signs of promise at last weeks Bain's Whisky Cape Town Open after opening with rounds of 70-67, however he eventually finished in a tie for 52nd.
