Joburg Open 2025 Tips: 90/1 shot one of six in South Africa

Following on from Dylan Naidoo claiming a life-changing win in last week’s weather-shortened South African Open, the DP World Tour stays in South Africa for the final event of its International Swing, as we head to Houghton Golf Club for the Joburg Open.

As always, here is Jamie Worsley's comprehensive preview and his Joburg Open 2025 Tips. He's picked out six players ranging from 25/1 to 9/1!

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The Joburg Open is an event co-sanctioned between the DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour and was first staged in 2007. It returned after a three-year absence in 2020 and was again missing from the schedule in 2024, due to the change from an end-of-year timeslot to this new March spot.

10 of the 16 renewals of this event has gone to a home player and just two of these have recorded multiple victories: Charl Schwartzel (2010, 2011) and Richard Sterne (2008, 2013).

Last four winners:

• 2023 – Winner: Dean Burmester (-18)

Runner-up: Darren Fichardt (-15)

• 2022 – Winner: Dan Bradbury (-21)

Runner-up: Sami Valimaki (-18)

• 2021 – Winner: Thriston Lawrence (-12) – event reduced to 36 holes

Runner-up: Zander Lombard (-8)

• 2020 – Winner: JB Hansen (-19)

Runner-up: Wilco Nienaber (-17)

Dean Burmester was the victor when we were last here, beating compatriot Darren Fichardt by three shots. Unfortunately, he is on LIV duty this week and doesn’t return to defend his title.

THE COURSE

The Joburg Open will be held at Houghton Golf Club for the third successive edition, having first hosted in the 2022 renewal won by Dan Bradbury.

The course originally opened in 1926 but was extensively renovated by Jack Nicklaus in 2009, and the venue is now attributed to being his design. It has hosted several of South Africa’s biggest events, including eight South African Opens – most recently in 1992 – and the Alfred Dunhill Championship from 2000 to late 2004.

The course played as a par 71 in 2022 but was converted to a par 70 for the 2023 edition – with the previously scorable par 5 3^rd switched to a lengthy par 4 – and those changes remain this year. It measures in at 7279yds – though will play closer to 6745yds due to altitude – and possesses 4x par 3s (177-230yds) 12x par 4s (364-574yds) and 2x par 5s (545-572yds).

This tree-lined course features generous, doglegging fairways that are protected by strategic bunkering and punishing kikuyu rough. With trees often hugging the short grass, they require a smart approach off the tee to avoid line-of-sight issues into the small, undulating bentgrass greens.

Said greens are often shallow/narrow in shape and positioned at an angle to the fairway, making them tricky to find. Ranking 2^nd in scrambling difficulty and providing players with the ninth-toughest putting challenge, the all-round short-game test here is as demanding as anywhere else on the DP World Tour.

The par 4s are where this tournament will be decided. We have three at over 500 yards, including two absolute monsters: the 544yd 3^rd and the 574yd 15^th. However, that is countered by several sub-400yd holes, including the 364yd 1^st.

Although the winning scores here have been reasonably low, both winners at Houghton GC took the title by three shots. Away from them, it would be fair to say that it has provided a good challenge for the majority of the field, displaying the correct balance between birdie chances and holes on which par is a good score.

THE WEATHER

Thunderstorms are predicted to blight this week’s play, beginning on Tuesday and continuing into the first round of the event on Thursday. That should soften the course up and with no wind on show, leave us with a receptive course in benign conditions for much of the tournament.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach/Greens-in-Regulation

With all of that rain on the way, I expect quality iron play into these small, receptive greens to be the key factor at Houghton Golf Club this week.

We don’t have any data available for Dean Burmester during his 2023 win here, though most of his nearest challengers excelled with their irons. Runner-up, Darren Fichardt ranked 2^nd in approach of the players with recorded stats, whilst 3^rd-place finisher, Dan Bradbury ranked 4^th.

In 4^th, Jacques Kruyswijk and Zander Lombard each ranked top 10 in approach, and all of that mentioned four were top 10 in greens-in-regulation.

Again, there’s no tournament-specific data to go off from our 2022 winner, Dan Bradbury but we know him to be a player all about the ball-striking. Meanwhile, 3^rd-place finisher Daniel Van Tonder ranked 1^st in approach, while he and runner-up, Sami Valimaki were 4^th in GIR.

• SG: Off-the-Tee/Driving Distance

The driver is another vital club, and it shouldn’t go unnoticed that both of the two winners at this course were longer hitters.

Indeed, 2023 winner Dean Burmester fits the bill of being a strong, lengthy driver, whilst 3^rd-place finisher that year, Dan Bradbury ranked 4^th off-the-tee and 4^th in driving distance.

Of course, 2022 winner Dan Bradbury is a strong driver, as he showed here in 2023. Top-5 finishers, Louis de Jager and Sami Valimaki ranked 3^rd and 8^th OTT respectively, whilst there was again plenty of power near the top of the leaderboard.

• Par 4 Scoring

Lastly, with 12 of them on the course, it’s important to play the par 4s well. This was certainly the case in 2023, as winner and runner-up, Dean Burmester and Darren Fichardt, ranked 1^st and 2^nd in par 4 scoring respectively.

In addition, 1^st and 2^nd-place finishers in 2022, Dan Bradbury and Sami Valimaki ranked joint-first in par 4 scoring.

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSE)

Alfred Dunhill Championship (Leopard Creek Country Club)

Leopard Creek CC is a tree-lined course that plays to a similar level of difficulty as Houghton GC in all areas. Most notably, it ranks as the toughest scrambling test on tour, one ahead of this week’s host.

Notable correlating form:

Christiaan Bezuidenhout:

Joburg (3^rd, 9^th) / Alfred Dunhill (1^st, 3^rd)

Daniel Van Tonder:

Joburg (3^rd) / Alfred Dunhill (6^th)

Zander Lombard:

Joburg (4^th) / Alfred Dunhill (3^rd, 7^th)

Dale Whitnell:

Joburg (6^th) / Alfred Dunhill (4^th, 7^th)

Jayden Schaper:

Joburg (9^th) / Alfred Dunhill (2^nd)

Nedbank Golf Challenge/2020 South African Open (Gary Player Country Club)

Host of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, Gary Player CC has several things in common with Houghton GC. It features kikuyu rough and small bentgrass greens; also testing the players’ ability to play at altitude.

Notable correlating form:

Dean Burmester:

Joburg (1^st) / S.A Open (4^th)

Dan Bradbury:

Joburg (1^st, 3^rd) / Nedbank (5^th)

Darren Fichardt:

Joburg (2^nd) / Nedbank (6^th, 9^th)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout:

Joburg (3^rd, 9^th) / S.A Open (1^st)

2014-2023 Czech Masters (Albatross Golf Resort)

Former host of the Czech Masters, Albatross Golf Resort had as many form-ties with Houghton GC as any other course. Though much more open and exposed than this week’s venue, it possesses generous fairways and bentgrass greens, which are similarly challenging to putt on.

Notable correlating form:

Dean Burmester:

Joburg (1^st) / Czech (6^th)

Sami Valimaki:

Joburg (2^nd) / Czech (4^th)

Zander Lombard:

Joburg (4^th) / Czech (5^th)

Jacques Kruyswijk:

Joburg (4^th) / Czech (7^th, 7^th)

Louis De Jager:

Joburg (5^th) / Czech (3^rd)

Gavin Green:

Joburg (7^th) / Czech (2^nd, 3^rd)

Thriston Lawrence:

Joburg (7^th) / Czech (8^th)

2024 Jonsson Workwear Open/2013-2018 South African Open (Glendower Golf Club)

As a tree-lined course with bentgrass greens, kikuyu rough and situated at altitude, Glendower GC should prove a helpful guide this week..

Notable correlating form:

Dean Burmester:

Joburg (1^st) / Glendower (4^th)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout:

Joburg (3^rd, 9^th) / Glendower (2^nd)

Jacques Kruyswijk:

Joburg (4^th) / Glendower (4^th)

Thriston Lawrence:

Joburg (7^th) / Glendower (2^nd)

2023 Jonsson Workwear Open/2022 Steyn City Championship (Club at Steyn City)

Lastly, it may be worth checking out the Club at Steyn City. This fellow Jack Nicklaus design is situated at altitude just outside of Johannesburg, showcasing generous fairways and bentgrass greens.

Notable correlating form:

Dean Burmester:

Joburg (1^st) / Steyn City (2^nd)

Zander Lombard:

Joburg (4^th) / Steyn City (2^nd)

Jacques Kruyswijk:

Joburg (4^th) / Steyn City (9^th, 10^th)

Gavin Green:

Joburg (7^th) / Steyn City (6^th)

Thriston Lawrence:

Joburg (7^th) / Steyn City (8^th)

THE FIELD

John Parry is the highest-ranking player in this week’s field at #93 and alongside #97 Romain Langasque, is one of just two from inside the world’s top 100.

Dean Burmester doesn’t return to defend but we are joined by seven former winners, in the shape of Dan Bradbury (2022), Shubhankar Sharma (2017), Darren Fichardt (2017), Haydn Porteous (2016), Andy Sullivan (2015), George Coetzee (2014) and Richard Sterne (2013, 2008).

With Dean Burmester, Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel all back on LIV, Shaun Norris is the top home player in attendance. Whilst the in-form Daniel Van Tonder, along with recent DP World Tour winners, Jacques Kruyswijk and Dylan Naidoo strengthen the South African challenge.

Joburg Open Odds

SELECTIONS

Market leaders (1/4 5 places): Jordan Smith 16/1, Jayden Schaper 16/1, Johannes Veerman 18/1, Shaun Norris 25/1, Francesco Laporta 25/1

Jordan Smith and Jayden Schaper sharing favouritism tells you all you need to know about the openness of this week’s contest.

The talented young South African has been in great form of late and looks ready to breakthrough, but he just doesn’t tempt me at the price. Instead, it’s his more experienced countryman, Shaun Norris who appeals most from the top of the betting and goes in as the headline selection in South Africa.

2 pts Shaun Norris each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 25/1

Norris finished 2024 in sensational fashion, winning on his final two starts of the year. The first of those came courtesy of his seventh victory on the Japanese Golf Tour and he followed that with the biggest win of his career two weeks later, claiming the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek.

He’s picked up where he left off there in 2025, finishing 6^th in the Dubai Desert Classic on his first start of the year and he has maintained great form on the DP World Tour on his next two starts, finishing 16^th in Ras Al Khaimah and 9^th in last week’s South African Open.

His short game has been doing most of the heavy lifting, but it was a positive to see him hit the ball better last week. In addition, he ranks 3^rd in par 4 scoring, which will come in handy on those prominent holes this week.

The Joburg man finished 18^th at Houghton GC in 2022, but did miss the cut on his next start the following year. That being said, his win at Leopard Creek is a huge plus, as is his 2022 victory at Steyn City and having also finished runner-up at Glendower GC in last year’s Jonsson Workwear Open, he has some very appealing comp form to strengthen his case.

1 pt Todd Clements each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 66/1

Todd Clements arrives here after his best finish of the year in Durban last week, which was engineered by a return to form in approach. Having shown promise on his one try at Houghton GC and possessing a particularly encouraging piece of comp form, I’m taking him to win his second DPWT title.

Clements began the season with a respectable 37^th-place finish in the Dubai Desert Classic but then underwhelmed in the remaining events in the Middle East, missing the cut in Ras Al Khaimah and Bahrain, and finishing 50^th in Qatar. However, the Englishman sprung back into life in the South African Open, sitting in 4^th place after two rounds before eventually finishing 16^th in that shortened 54-hole event.

His tee-to-green game looked in great shape there, ranking 7^th and it was especially pleasing to see him finally find something in approach, ranking 20^th.

Clements went well for a long way here on debut in 2022, shooting rounds of 67 and 66 over the first three days to enter round four in 9^th place. He struggled in the final round, dropping to 33^rd, but having recorded his only tour win in the 2023 Czech Masters at the correlating Albatross Golf Resort, I’m confident he has the game to win here.

1 pt David Ravetto each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 66/1

David Ravetto has plenty of form in South Africa, including recording his first pro win in the Dimension Data Pro-Am last year. He’s since become a DP World Tour winner and in largely consistent form at the start of this year, this strong driver looks an interesting contender this week.

Ravetto started 2025 with a solid 45^th-place finish in the Dubai Desert Classic and has missed just one cut across his five starts this year, going best when 13^th in Ras Al Khaimah.

The driver has been key for the Frenchman, ranking 9^th and as the 36^th-ranked player in driving distance, he fits the same profile of the two previous winners here. Furthermore, he’s started to look much better in approach on his last two starts, gaining strokes in each and ranking 27^th last week.

Ravetto failed to get anything going on his debut at Houghton GC in 2022, comfortably missing the cut, but he did improve on his next visit, finishing 47^th in 2023. He’s also recorded a top 10 in the Alfred Dunhill Championship and with many of his other career-best results coming in South Africa, he’s clearly a player who enjoys teeing it up here.

1 pt Dylan Frittelli each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 70/1

Dylan Frittelli’s form has tapered off after a promising effort in Dubai on his first start of 2025. However, he’s continued to hit the ball well and as a one-time PGA Tour winner and three-time DPWT champion, he represents the best value in the field this week.

Frittelli’s game looked in good shape in the South African events towards the end of last year and he carried that over to his season debut this year, finishing 10^th in the Dubai Desert Classic. He has failed to finish higher than 50^th in his four starts since, but there have still been plenty of positives to be found in his play.

He’s hit the ball well across most starts this season, especially his irons, ranking 23^rd in approach and 31^st in GIR. Further to that, it’s been encouraging to see this lengthy but occasionally erratic driver finding more fairways than usual; displaying an all-round ball-striking game that should suit this course.

This was certainly evident on debut in 2023, as Frittelli shot four rounds in the 60s to finish 12^th. In addition, he has bundles of comp form, finishing 3^rd at Gary Player Country Club in the 2020 South African Open and in seven starts at Leopard Creek, he’s finished inside the top 25 an eye-catching six times.

1 pt Freddy Schott each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 80/1

German youngster, Freddy Schott is another quality and power-packed driver who possesses a high level of form in South Africa. He initially struggled to get going this year but has looked better in recent starts and should enjoy the soft conditions this week.

Schott was in fine form at the end of 2024, finishing top 20 in his final three DPWT starts, including signing off the year with a 5^th-place finish in Mauritius. He missed his first four cuts in 2025 but found form in Kenya two weeks ago, finishing 7^th and I’m hoping he can replicate that level of performance this week.

The driver is the key to his game, ranking 8^th off-the-tee this season. He’s also 11^th in driving distance and as the 20^th-best par 4 scorer, I believe he has the skillset to tackle Houghton GC, despite his missed cut in 2022.

Schott has performed stoutly in South Africa since his amateur days, finishing 2^nd in the South African Juniors International in 2019. He’s also recorded several top 10s there on the HotelPlanner Tour and with decent comp form on offer courtesy of an 11^th-place finish at Glendower last year and a 14^th-place finish in the 2023 Czech Masters, there is plenty to suggest he’s capable of improving considerably on that 2022 debut effort.

1 pt Robin Williams each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 90/1

Robin Williams has looked surprisingly off it at the start of this year, entering this week after missing five cuts in a row. That being said, he hasn’t been all that far away over recent starts and arriving at a course that should suit – based on some excellent form at Glendower – I’m taking him to return to form this week.

Williams was in great form at the end of last season, with a host of impressive results including a 4^th-place finish in the Dunhill Links. It’s all been a bit of a struggle in this new season, missing eight of 10 cuts but he has only done so by one in the last two weeks. Which suggests his game might not be the lost cause it initially appears.

The driver is usually this big hitter’s main weapon, and it has remained so during this downturn in form, ranking 24^th over his last 50 rounds. He’s also started to find something with his irons over the last two events, ranking 16^th in approach in Kenya and top 25 in GIR last week.

Williams missed the cut at Houghton GC on his only previous visit in 2022, but he has grown considerably as a player since then. I’m confident he has the ability to go much better here based largely on his superb record at Glendower, where he won the 2023 and 2024 Fortress Invitationals on the Sunshine Tour.

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