Charl Schwartzel

“This is where it all started for me” says Charl Schwartzel, scribbled and signed on a huge “Masters” picture collage showing his spectacular feat, which hangs proudly in the clubhouse of Maccauvlei. His father George, a top golfer in his day, and former Maccauvlei Club Captain, introduced Charl to the game of golf as a young boy and who gave him the best tip he ever had – keep it simple. On reading through his golfing achievements one soon realises that Charl was destined to be a very special golfer. Charl won many accolades while rising through the junior ranks at Maccauvlei; his rise was steady and spectacular. Among the more important feats were:

2000

• Selected for Central gauteng U/23 interprovincial team. Charl 8.5 out 10
• Scored 63 at age 15
• Won Champion of Champion at Roodeport CC (73 + 71)
• Won George Junior Open (National Championships)
• Played No.1 for Maccauvlei league team (won 11 out 11)
• Won Royal Johannesburg Junior 72 + 66
• Selected for Central Gauteng senior team whilst 15 years of age
• Selected for South Africa Junior team (Junior Springbok)
• Won S.A. High Schools Provincial Golf Tournament with record score 70 + 67 + 69 + 68 = 274 (14 under)
• Selected for S.A. Schools team as captain
• Handicap low for year 2000, + 6
• Played World Junior Championships @ San Diago, U.S.A. scored 290 finished 19 th out of 256 players from 37 countries at age 15.
• Won Harry Oppenheimer Trophy at Maccauvlei with record score 67 + 69
• Won International Teams Championships with record tying score 66+72+71+67=276
• Won Riviera Resorts Junior Championships 69 + 73
• Selected as Junior Springbok U/19 to play World Team Championship, Japan

2001

• Selected as U/21 Springbok, but had to withdraw due to Japan. Age 16
• Won Maccauvlei Club Championship. 68 + 72
• Won Roodepoort National Junior Championships 68 + 72, course record
• Rated by Golf Digest as 2nd best amateur in S.A. AS AT Dec 2001
• Won S.A. Junior Strokeplay Championships 67+72+69+69 ties record
• Played first Pro Tournament (Diners Club) lost by one shot 71 + 68
• Won Champion of Champions by 9 shots. 70 + 70
• Won the World Junior Golf Team Championships in Japan, 4th individually
• Won Rand Park Junior Open 69 + 67
• Won Glenvista Junior Open 66 + 70
• 12th in Junior World Championships 71 + 74 + 70 + 73
• Selected for S.A. Senior golf teamto play Spirit International Golf Championships @ Houston Texas. Won bronze medal individually, silver team.
• Selected for S.A senior golf team to play African Cup of Nations
• Won Mpumalanga Open 74 + 68 + 70 + 67
• Won S.A. Schools Provincial Championships 72 + 69 + 77 + 65
• Won Junior Silver Vase 65 + 71
• 3rd in World Junior Championship in Mexico
• Won Harry Oppenheimer Trophy at Maccauvlei, record 3rd time. 71 + 66
• Won Transvaal Amateur Stroke Play Championships 75 + 67 + 66 + 68
• Joint winner of the International Team Championships with Thomas Atkien 70 + 65 + 67 + 71. New record. Won the team championships with record score of 831.
• Won all singles matches in Junior Interprovincial in Cape Town playing no.1. South African Junior Golfer of the year 2001

2002

• Won the Freddy Tait trophy in the S.A. Open with record score 71 + 67 + 73 + 69
• 2nd in Vaal Amateur Open at Maccauvlei 72 + 65
• Won National Amateur Invitational Tournament at Princess Grant 73 + 68
• Vaal Triangle Junior Sports Star of the year 2001
• Won the international section of the all Indian Amateur Championship with Louis Oosthuizen.
• Won the Indian Amateur Championships at Royal Calcutta with record win of 11 & 9. Shot 63 in the morning round to be 10 up.
• Ranked by Golf Digest as No.1 Amateur in South Africa.
• Won Maccauvlei Club Championships with record score 68 + 66
• Won the North West Amateur Open Championships by 4 shots. 68+68+68
• Won the English Amateur Championships / Brabazon Trophy at Royal Cinque Ports 69 + 73 + 70 + 70
• 4th in the St. Andrews Links Trophy 78 +72 + 71 + 73
• Selected to for South Africa in the Eisenhower Trophy
• Won the Transvaal Foursomes with Albert Kruger 73 + 68
• Won Randfontein Junior Championships by 12 shots 69 + 69
• South African Amateur golfer of the year 2002

TURNED PROFESSIONAL 31ST OCTOBER 2002

• Won his European Tour Card, went through all 3 stages, birdied last 3 holes to get card No. 24 71 +65 + 74 + 69 + 69 + 66. The second youngest South African golfer to do so.
• Tied 3rd South African Open, 2nd Pro event in S.A. 75 + 69 + 68 + 65
• South African Rookie of the year 2002 & 2003
• Won Dunhill Championship 2005 71 + 69 + 70 + 71
• Won Sunshine Tour Order of Merit 2006
• Won Open de Espana 2007 69 + 68 + 68 + 67
• Won Sunshine Tour Order of Merit 2007
• Won Madrid Masters 2008 69 + 64 + 66 + 66
• 2nd to Ernie Els CA Championship 2010, Doral USA.
• Won Africa Open 2010 67 + 70 + 68 + 67
• Won Joburg Open 2010 63 + 68 + 64 + 66
• Won Joburg Open 2011 68 + 61 + 69 + 66
• Won “MASTERS” 2011 69 + 71 + 68 + 66
• Reached the Quarter Finals 2011, World Match Play Championships, Spain.

Charl having left behind a record of having been one of the country’s top amateurs has now won on the European and US Tour. His world golf ranking is now 12, after overcoming a pressure laden US Masters, his first major win. After winning at Augusta, he tweeted ” I came to the Masters and all I got was this green jacket”. As one journalist remarked, “Oh yes, a bright green jacket and the golfing world his oyster as well”. After the 2011 World Match Play Championships at Andalucia, Spain, reached a career-high 7th in the latest rankings. 21stMay 2011. Charl at 27 has the golfing world at his feet, a mind so strong, a swing so smooth, talent unquestionable, no one in the golfing world will take this “whipcord” South African, who honed his skills over the beautiful fairways of the Maccauvlei Golf Course, for granted again.