louis oosthuizen pga tour wins

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share by Email

Last call for the ultimate Pinehurst trip

Louis Oosthuizen reveals how he won at St. Andrews

Louis Oosthuizen poses with the claret jug in 2010.

Getty Images

From the Southern Hills locker room, Sunday at the 2022 PGA Championship. This interview appeared in the July/August issue of GOLF .

Dylan Dethier: We’re coming up on 12 years since your Open Championship win at St. Andrews. When you think back, what’s the first thing that pops into your head?

Louis Oosthuizen : I think it’s moments from the full week. The town felt so much different from just a normal Dunhill [European Tour event]. The whole place just has an energy, and the whole town has an incredible vibe to it. If you’re a golf guy and enjoy playing golf and love the history, it has to be on your bucket list to come play St. Andrews and go through the town. It’s just great.

Are there places in town where you’ve spent time? Somewhere you like to eat or drink?

Not specifically. I just like walking around town, then stopping at a coffee shop, stopping to have a pint at a bar, stuff like that. Before we had our kids, we’d do that. It’s just such a nice town. You don’t really need a car. You can just walk around and everything is right there.

These are the 6 keys to Louis Oosthuizen’s smooth swing

Have you always liked playing links golf?

Yeah. Well, what I grew up with was wind golf. I didn’t really start playing links golf for a while. I played on the coast of South Africa, where it’s windy but it’s not links golf. So I was used to playing in wind. And then going over to Europe, I played a lot more links golf and just loved it. I loved all the shotmaking, and it was good fun.

Why do you think you played so well that week in 2010?

If you can drive it well and take on a few tough lines off the tee, that makes the Old Course a lot easier. And I was just driving the golf ball so good that week. Lengthwise, I was quite a bit longer then than now, too, and it just suited my eye.

Is that the key to that golf course — hitting your spots off the tee?

I think so. And I think it favors a cut. With a cut, you can set up better angles for your second shots. I think if you draw the golf ball, those angles get tougher. So I was hitting cuts the whole week, aiming it down the middle of the fairway — there’s normally two fairways together — and I was just sliding it right off that line. It worked out nicely for me.

During the final round, it seemed like your competitors, one by one, got themselves in trouble. And you never did. Is that how you remember it?

Yeah, it was tight up until the 12th hole. I think I was three shots ahead, but that still felt very tight because on that back nine you can lose three shots very quickly. And then, obviously, Paul [Casey] had an errant tee shot on 12 [en route to triple bogey], and I made birdie, which made the lead seven or eight, I think.

You’ve contended in majors so often. What got you across the finish line in this one?

It’s funny, I wasn’t playing that great going into the week. It’s just that everything I was working on came together. I played really well, and I got lucky with the side of the draw as well. On Friday morning when I played, it was rainy and it wasn’t great conditions, but then that wind picked up and blew the whole field away in the afternoon. So I got really lucky with that. And that’s what you need to win. Somewhere along the line you need to get a lucky draw or a lucky bounce or something. I think that draw was a big part of having a lead going into the weekend.

Do you remember feeling particularly nervous at any point or feeling the extra pressure of sleeping on the lead?

No, I really never did. I had my wife and little baby with me, and I just wasn’t really thinking about it. I was too dumb to think about it and too young to realize the situation, and I never really thought that I was going to pull it off. So I was just playing. I just got in my routine, did my stuff, enjoyed playing, and I never really thought, Man, I could win a major. It obviously hit me eventually — when I had a seven-shot lead playing the last five holes. Then I had to collect myself. I wanted to try to make birdies, not just to be defensive. Because then it was mine to lose. That was a different pressure. Those last holes were the hardest, in some ways.

Catch people up. Where do you live and how do you spend your time when we’re not seeing you on Tour?

I live in Ocala, Florida. And oh, I’ve got lots to do when I’m not playing golf. We’ve got a horse ranch and roosters and kids riding horses and all kinds of things. So I keep myself very busy. But I still play lots of social golf. I practice a bit, and I still enjoy my golf quite a lot. Golden Ocala is my club there. I enjoy the social side of golf now a lot more than I used to. And I’m definitely getting to the stage where playing less tournament golf is going to be part of the plan.

What brought you to Ocala in the first place?

1 thing you shouldn’t think about over the ball, according to Louis Oosthuizen

Oh, it was the farm. We saw this farm, and it was friends of ours that were selling it, and we fell in love with the massive oak trees. Some of the trees on the farm are 300 years old. Me and my wife both grew up on farms, and we always wanted to have a piece of land over here. And this was the perfect size, and it made sense. So we saw it and bought it, and then we moved up there.

Do you see it as an escape from the busyness of life on Tour?

Oh, yeah. When I get there — I mean, I’m not on any social media and stuff myself. When I get there, I don’t even need to have a phone. So it’s great. It’s a good thing away from golf.

I’ve heard you’re fond of the tractor.

What do you do on the tractor?

Whatever I have to do — mowing grass and doing all kinds of things. It’s good to be on the tractor.

Latest In News

Masters week superlatives: most viral, most cranky, most famous | rogers report, max homa's chick-fil-a meal included some unexpected generosity, this mlb team prohibited roger clemens from playing golf on the road, he caddied for $1 a bag. now, he's fostering hope through the game, dylan dethier.

Dylan Dethier is a senior writer for GOLF Magazine/GOLF.com. The Williamstown, Mass. native joined GOLF in 2017 after two years scuffling on the mini-tours. Dethier is a graduate of Williams College, where he majored in English, and he’s the author of 18 in America , which details the year he spent as an 18-year-old living from his car and playing a round of golf in every state.

• Author Twitter Account
• Author Instagram Account

Related Articles

Why arnold palmer's magical run at the masters still resonates, he won the masters. he left for liv. one year later, everything’s changed, rules guy, masters edition: revisiting tiger woods' controversial drop at the 2013 masters, 5 interesting 2024 masters stats you didn't know, the 10 things you must do to win at augusta national, masters poll: on augusta challenges, first-timer mistakes, the 2024 winner and more, the short-hitters' guide to conquering augusta national: 7 keys to victory from past winners, love the famous azalea cocktail here are 5 other floral-inspired drinks with major flavor, masters 2024: how do you beat augusta national dominate the par-5s.

Louis Oosthuizen Fulfils 'Dream Come True' By Winning Latest DP World Tour Title On A Course He Co-Designed

The South African's second victory in succession arrived at at Heritage La Réserve Golf Club in Mauritius on a course he helped to shape

• Sign up to Golf Monthly Newsletter Newsletter

Louis Oosthuizen claimed successive DP World Tour titles after pipping fellow LIV Golfer Laurie Canter to the post by two shots at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

Oosthuizen had already claimed the Alfred Dunhill Championship ahead of fellow South African Charl Schwartzel at Leopard Creek - his first for five years - and the overnight leader at Heritage La Réserve Golf Club was in the prime position to repeat his heroics heading into Sunday.

But that one-shot lead disappeared quickly, and some stunning patches of golf from the likes of Canter, Sebastien Soderberg , and playing partner Jacques P de Villiers threatened to see Oosthuizen miss out on silverware. Soderberg, in particular, was inspired and ended up shooting 63 - with seven birdies on the back nine - to card the lowest round of the day.

The tournament looked as if it would go down to the wire for much of Sunday's latter stages, but Oosthuizen showed his class and composure to reach 17-under and win by two on a course he co-designed with Peter Matkovich.

Canter finished on 15-under days after missing out on a full-time spot on LIV via the Promotions event , while De Villiers, Soderberg, and England's Daniel Brown shared third on 14-under.

Speaking after holing the winning putt, Oosthuizen said: "Golf is the strangest thing. The last five weeks I've not done a lot with golf, I've played a few rounds, and when I got to Leopard Creek I was working on a small little thing. I started hitting it really good - and I know I'm putting well - and then I just carried on with that momentum.

"I started off very poorly, and that errant second shot on 16 made it interesting, but I hit a few good shots coming in... I'm glad I held onto it.

Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter

Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.

"I'm glad I could pull this off this week, it's sort of a dream come true being able to play a tournament on a golf course you helped design and end up winning it.

"This is the first event my daughters have been to where I won, so this is very special."

.@Louis57TM wins back-to-back events for the first time in his career 🏆#AfrAsiaBankMauritiusOpen pic.twitter.com/IdswcFcXUq December 17, 2023

Despite not playing this week, it was a fine afternoon for Australia's Min Woo Lee as well. A win for Oosthuizen meant Lee was crowned the winner of the DP World Tour's 'Opening Swing' and won $200,000 - including a place in the second part of the DP World Tour season - the 'Back 9'.

The DP World Tour returns on January 11th, 2024 with the inaugural Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort where Rory McIlroy is set to tee it up to kick off his own 2024 campaign.

If you're wondering what to buy for a loved one over the holidays, check out our  19 Top Christmas Gifts For Golfers .

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. An improving golfer who still classes himself as ‘one of the worst players on the Golf Monthly team’, Jonny enjoys playing as much as he can and is hoping to reach his Handicap goal of 18 at some stage. He attended both the 150th and 151st Opens and is keen to make it an annual pilgrimage.

Lilia Vu, who has been struggling with a back injury, has withdrawn from the first women's Major of the year prior to her first round

By Ben Fleming Published 18 April 24

This week's RBC Heritage is one of five Signature Events on the PGA Tour that does not feature a 36-hole cut

• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Accessibility statement
• Cookies policy
• Advertise with us

Golf Monthly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Louis Oosthuizen takes one-shot lead into Sunday at The Open Championship

Daily Wrap Up

Change Text Size

SANDWICH, England -- Even with his swing getting loose over the final hour Saturday, Louis Oosthuizen walked off the 18th green with a one-stroke lead at The 149th Open and another shot at ending his 11-year wait for a second major title.

A third round as undulating as the fairways at Royal St. George's ended how it started, with Oosthuizen holding off Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth, and three shots separating them.

Oosthuizen, a runner-up in the last two majors, overcame his first real wobble of the tournament on the back nine with a key par save on the 15th and an 8-foot birdie on the par-3 16th that led to a 1-under 69.

That put him at 12-under 198 as the South African stayed on course to be the first wire-to-wire winner at golf's oldest championship since Rory McIlroy in 2014.

Morikawa slid a 15-foot birdie putt just past the hole on the 18th green, settling for a 68 as he bids for a second major to go with his win at last year's PGA Championship. The American was four shots behind after 10 holes and made a strong push at about the time Oosthuizen showed signs of fading. He trimmed Oosthuizen's lead to one shot.

Spieth was tied for the lead until he bogeyed his last two holes -- he missed a par putt from 2 feet at the 18th -- to complete a disappointing back nine of lost chances. The three-time major champion had a 69 and was three shots back, just as he started the day.

It had all looked so different with an hour left in the day, with the three players tied for the lead at 11 under with four holes to play on a day the pin positions -- not the weather -- proved to be the greatest defense at Royal St. George's.

The wind didn't get above 10 mph and a cloudless sky with bright sunshine looked sure to bring another day of low scoring.

However, pins were tucked away, sometimes near slopes, while the firmer fairways brought the deep rough and pot bunkers into play.

It ensured some big names were unable to launch a challenge.

Top-ranked Dustin Johnson started four shots off the lead but plunged out of contention by making five bogeys in his opening 11 holes. Two late birdies could give him only a 73, leaving him eight shots behind.

Brooks Koepka, a four-time major champion, was a shot further back after managing only a round of 72.

McIlroy started much further back but reached the turn at 4 under for the championship after making five birdies. The back nine was another story and McIlroy threw an iron to the ground -- he called it a "little toss" -- during a run of three bogeys in five holes on his way to shooting 69, his first round in the 60s at Royal St. George's.

It left him only on 1 under and with no chance of a second claret jug.

Instead, Corey Conners (66) and Scottie Scheffler (69) moved into contention at 8 under while Jon Rahm -- looking to add The Open to his U.S. Open from last month -- shot 68 and was 7 under alongside MacKenzie Hughes and Dylan Frittelli.

Marcel Siem, who qualified from the second-tier Challenge Tour in Europe only last week, rebounded from an 8 after going out-of-bounds at the par-5 14th with two birdies in his final three holes. He was in a three-way tie for ninth place, six off the lead.

All of them are chasing Oosthuizen, who won at St. Andrews in 2010 and has rung up a career Grand Slam of runner-up finishes since then. That includes the U.S. Open last month, where he was leading with two holes to play until Rahm's birdie-birdie finish. He also was runner-up in the PGA Championship to Phil Mickelson.

Oosthuizen claims back-to-back wins with Mauritius Open success

• Medium Text

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Hugh Lawson

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

Team Europe captain Luke Donald has named Denmark's Thomas Bjorn as his second vice-captain on Tuesday for next year's Ryder Cup, which will be played in New York.

Sports Chevron

NBA's TV rights negotiating period with Disney, Warner to expire without deal, CNBC reports

The National Basketball Association's exclusive media rights negotiating period with current partners Walt Disney and Warner Bros Discovery is likely to expire without a new deal on Monday, CNBC reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

U.S. Grand Prix promoter Bobby Epstein hopes his Austin circuit will be a major beneficiary of Liberty Media's takeover of MotoGP raising the sport's profile in the Americas.

Louis Oosthuizen – The King of Swing

South Africa’s leading golfer is primed to make another run at the Majors in 2022, writes GARY LEMKE .

For all those still wondering, the answer is ‘yes’. Louis Oosthuizen really is as laid-back in ‘real life’ as he looks on the golf course. South Africa’s top-ranked golfer – he finished 2021 at No 10 in the world, his best end-of-year position since 2012 when he was at No 6 – is now back at his base in the US as he awaits what 2022 has in store for him.

He is fresh from the longest competitive break he has ever had from the game, last teeing up at the RSM Classic in November, when he withdrew due to a bad back. And, although his return to his Florida home was delayed due to a bout of Covid, the 39-year- old really enjoyed his time back on his farm in Albertinia. The last available South African census (2011) revealed that the southern Cape dorp had a population of 6,372. The Oosthuizen family would have nudged those figures up by five over the end of December and during January.

‘I deliberately didn’t bring my golf clubs over with me because we were supposed to be here for only three and a half weeks. We didn’t come home in 2020 because of the Covid-19 lockdowns so I made the decision to not bring my clubs. I just wanted to spend time with family and friends. So, I’m not exaggerating when I say I have no idea what shape my game will be in when I start up again on the PGA Tour. I feel fine, though, and the body feels fine.

‘It’s been two months since I played, but I needed the break. There was a tweak in my back in November and I felt I needed a proper rest. I was supposed to start my season at Torrey Pines at the Farmers Insurance Open but our flights had to be rearranged due to picking up Covid, so we stayed in South Africa longer than expected. Not that I was complaining, but it looks like February’s Waste Management Phoenix Open might be where I return.’

Oosthuizen gives himself an 8/10 for a season which saw him with six top-10 finishes on Tour, with two more runner-up spots at Majors – the US Open and PGA Championship – taking his career total of bridesmaid finishes to six. A 9 or 10 out of 10 would have been getting one of those Majors.

The South African claimed his first and so far only Major win at the 2010 Open Championship, but he has a remarkably consistent record at Majors. He’s finished second at The Masters (2012), The PGA Championship (2017 and 2021), the US Open (2015 and 2021) and was beaten in a playoff at the 2015 Open. He also has a third at the US Open (2020) and The Open (2021).

He readily admits that at his age, the season is all about performing well at the Majors. ‘My whole goal is to get my game as sharp as possible in the weeks heading into the Majors, get myself as ready as possible. Last year I did that and it showed that what I and my whole team are working on is keeping us on the right path. I’m now pushing 40 and if I want to play competitively at the Majors over the next four to five years, I’ve got to have myself ready in those weeks leading into them.

‘I’m excited about the next few years. It was a bonus finishing last year in the top 10, but the hard work continues in staying there and being competitive over the season. So, the season is all about the Majors and then a handful of tournaments where I like the course and feel like I can play well. I use other tournaments largely as preparation, although that’s not to say I’m not prepared for them, but it’s more getting ready for the Major tournaments. It works for me and I’m going to try to do even better this year.’

When he finished tie-second at the 2017 PGA Championship, two shots behind Justin Thomas, he almost broke the internet with his lip-syncing of ‘Rise Up’ on his private flight home, having completed the ‘career Grand Slam’ of runner-up places at Majors. Surely he has dwelt on those near-misses? One shot here, one shot there, what might have been?

‘I suppose I have dwelt on a couple of them, but generally speaking I’ve quickly moved on. In a few of them I played really well to finish second. When I think of finishing one shot behind Jordan Spieth at the 2015 US Open at Chambers Bay, I played out of my socks in the last 54 holes. It was tight in the end, but it wasn’t really tight. I shot 77 in the first round and then 66, 67 and 67 in the last three rounds. I shot 29 on the back nine in the last round to finish second.’ His last 54 holes were played in 190, the lowest in US Open history.

‘In 2015 at St Andrews, I made a few mistakes, there was that one errant putt in the playoff on the Road Hole [17th] when I three-putted. There are lots of things you can go back and dwell on, the one shot here, one shot there. But it’s not something I tend to do.

‘Last year at The Open I didn’t play well in the final round [he shot 71 to finish tie-third]. I just didn’t feel comfortable, and was leaking shots to the right, I couldn’t find a rhythm, but thought I did well to hang in there. There are some rounds where you can feel it’s just not going to happen. You always need a good last round to win a Major.

‘I thought Torrey Pines [venue of the 2021 US Open] was the best I’ve played in a while. It’s a really tough golf course, which I love. But, the way Jon Rahm finished with a 67 to beat me by one shot … well, there’s not much you can do about that. We could go through each “second place” and I could say I could have done better here and there, but so too can the other guys. I just try to take a lot of positives out of those weeks and know my game is on the right track.’

But, as this year’s first Major marks 10 years since he lost to a Bubba Watson wonder shot on the 2nd hole of the two-man sudden-death playoff at Augusta, Oosthuizen still pauses to reflect. He’s now 39 but it was hard to take for a then 29-year-old.

‘It was a grim day in 2012, make no mistake. The days after, knowing I’d got so close … it would have been so special because Charl [Schwartzel] would have given me the Green Jacket. The two of us grew up together … so I went through a lot of things for a couple of days.’

Still, Oosthuizen will tee up this year at Augusta as one of the favourites, again. ‘The one nice thing with Augusta National is you start off all over and learn how to play it. The more you play the course the more comfortable you become. You have to be on your game and have a sharp short game. On those last nine holes, anything can happen. If you can get within four or five shots into the back nine on the Sunday you’ve got a shot. That’s my goal, get close to leaders playing the last nine, then you can be more aggressive.’

Key to Augusta is that short game and how well you position your ball on the greens. ‘You know, I said to my brother that I’ll put his ball in the middle of each green, at tournament speed, and we’d putt towards Sunday’s pins. My brother is a 6- or 7-handicap. I said to him I’d be very surprised if he shoots under 90.

‘There’s that knowledge you need about what the greens will do. Certain times you think you will be fine, then you putt and find yourself six, seven feet away from the pin. People don’t see that on TV. Once there, “live”, you can see what we deal with. It’s a real second-shot golf course!’

Speaking about ‘live’, the king of swing joined the chorus of those welcoming the return of crowds after the Covid-19 restrictions on fans and confirmed what us couch potatoes thought, but perhaps didn’t know for certain.

‘It was very weird in the beginning. The 2020 PGA Championship in San Francisco was the first Major back without a crowd. It was just the strangest thing. The same thing a month later for the US Open at Winged Foot.

‘ Playing at Augusta without a crowd was even worse. At the end of a tournament, on that Sunday back nine, it has a massive effect on us. That’s why we play. We play to get the adrenaline going and to be tested under pressure in the stress environment of trying to win a Major championship. It’s great to see everyone back. As golfers we need the fans and crowds and, equally, the fans need it. They need to be able to get out on to the golf course.’

Oosthuizen has always been something of a fans’ favourite – and it’s not simply because of that dreamy swing that is widely considered to be the best in the game. ‘It might look like there’s nothing wrong with the swing at times, but that’s not always the case,’ he laughs. ‘I can feel if there’s something not right, although maybe you can’t really see it with the naked eye in the moment!’

Holiday over, the South African is just hoping for more of the same in 2022. And that includes spending time at the 86-acre ranch he bought in Ocala, Florida, last June. ‘There were no special birthday presents for me,’ he says. ‘There were no new toys from Santa. Just coming back to South Africa in December and January with the family was the biggest present I could have received. And then there’s also the farm in Florida and the farm here in Albertinia, which is enough of a present for me!’

‘I thought, this time in my career I’d probably be more wanting to farm. But I sort of got that second push in the game. I really feel I can still win a Major. It’s keeping me up there and focused to work a little more. I’m getting closer. When I feel I can’t compete, I’ll hang it up and enjoy life.’

That’s not to say that he isn’t enjoying life as it is. He has always said his three priorities in life are, ‘golf, family and farming – although not necessarily in that order’.

As he works on his golf game, especially with the prayer of adding a Major, he admits he doesn’t get caught up in the obsession with more distance off the tee.

‘I have never tried to get more distance. I work with the stuff I’m good at and try to get better. Every now and then I might get a new shaft and gain one mile per hour here and there, but nothing to where I’ve had to change my swing.’

And while distance has become the obsession in golf, it has almost ruled out approaches to greens from around 120-130 yards these days.

‘That’s so true,’ Oosthuizen says. ‘The golf courses these days are so long you don’t often get into that 130-yard range. I normally set my range from around 150-180 yards to get to the green. On the par fives I have a certain number, and if I lay up, I try to leave myself that 130 yards and then hit a smooth wedge.

‘Now golfers tee it up and hit it as far as possible and take it from there. That’s why I still love the tough courses, where one needs a strategy to do well. I’d rather hit a fairway than miss it in the quest for more distance. I like The Open golf courses on the Major roster, where you need to find the fairway.’

This year’s US Open will be played at Brookline, Massachusetts, in June and The Open reverts to his happy hunting ground, the Old Course at St Andrews. The PGA Championship meanwhile is at Southern Hills Country Club, which last hosted the event in 2007, where Tiger Woods won at eight under. Before that it staged the 2001 US Open, won by Retief Goosen on five under.

‘I’ve never played Southern Hills, but it’s a tough course and I’ll like that. I’m always excited with the courses that have got good history, old-style golf courses. I’ll do a little more prep and homework and get there a little bit earlier and look at the course.’

And while he looks, he knows the eyes of a golfing-proud nation will be watching him, from near and far.

20 BEST FINISHES

2009: Qatar Masters (T2nd) 2010: The Open Championship (1st) 2012: The Masters (2nd), Deutsche Bank Championship (2nd), Malaysian Open (1st), Singapore Open (2nd) 2013: Volvo Golf Champions (1st) 2014: Volvo Golf Champions (1st) 2015: The Open Championship (T2nd), US Open (T2nd) 2016: WGC-Dell Match Play (2nd) 2017: The PGA Championship (T2nd), The Players Championship (T2nd) 2018: South African Open (1st) 2019: Valspar Championship (T2nd), WGC-HSBC Champions (3rd) 2020: US Open (3rd) 2021: US Open (2nd), The PGA Championship (T2nd), The Open Championship (T3rd)

• G400 Ping driver
• G425 Ping 7-wood
• Ping i210 4- and 5-iron
• Ping Blueprint irons, 6 to wedge
• Ping Glide 2.0 gap-wedge (50º),  sand-wedge (55º)
• Callaway Mack Daddy lob-wedge (60º)
• Ping Vault 2.0 Anser putter

– This article first appeared in the February 2022 issue of Compleat Golfer magazine. Subscribe here!

Article written by simon

Contact Us Advertising Copyright Privacy Policy Terms of Use Ts and Cs

African Insider African Insider News Cape Town ETC Cape Town News

Live Golf Scores

News Instruction Courses Equipment Video Magazine Win

Louis Oosthuizen leads Mauritius Open, eyes 2nd straight win

• Associated Press

BEL-OMBRE, Mauritius -- Louis Oosthuizen moved into position to win on the European tour for the second straight week after making three eagles in a 7-under 65 to take the third-round lead at the Mauritius Open on Saturday.

Oosthuizen was on 14-under par for the tournament and 1 shot clear of fellow South African Jacques de Villiers (68), with Laurie Canter (65) a further 2 strokes back in third.

Oosthuizen's remarkable round at La Réserve Golf Links included back-to-back eagles at Nos. 5 and 6 -- the latter coming when he pitched over a bunker before the ball rolled into the cup -- and another eagle at the par-5 15th hole thanks to a long, uphill, right-to-left putt.

He also made four birdies and three bogeys.

Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open champion, claimed his 10th European tour title -- and first in five years -- by winning the Alfred Dunhill Championship in his native country Monday.

Sebastian Söderberg led after the second round but shot 77 to drop into 22nd place, 9 strokes off the lead.

The Mauritius Open completes the swing of tournaments in Africa before the European tour takes a break until January for a string of events in the Middle East, starting with the Dubai Invitational on Jan. 11.

Louis Oosthuizen claims second win in a week in Mauritius

Louis Oosthuizen made it back-to-back DP World Tour wins after prevailing in an enthralling final-day battle at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open .

The South African entered round four at La Réserve Golf Links at Heritage Golf Club with a one-shot lead but soon saw that disappear as playing partner Jacques P de Villiers, England's Laurie Canter and the charging Sebastian Söderberg all staked a claim.

It was nip and tuck over a dramatic back nine in the Indian Ocean but in the end Oosthuizen's 69 was enough to hand him a two-shot victory over Canter at 17 under.

South African de Villiers, Swede Söderberg - who carded the lowest round of the day with a 63 - and England's Daniel Brown finished at 14 under, one clear of South Africa's Jayden Schaper.

Oosthuizen's victory also saw Min Woo Lee crowned the winner of the Opening Swing, handing the Australian US$200,000 and a place in the second part of the DP World Tour season - the Back 9.

The triumph at the weather-delayed Alfred Dunhill Championship last time out was Oosthuizen's first for five years but he now has two in six days, with this week's coming over a course he co-designed with Peter Matkovich.

"Golf is the strangest thing," he said. "The last five weeks I've not done a lot with golf, I've played a few rounds and when I got to Leopard Creek I was working on a small little thing. I started hitting it really good and I know I'm putting well and then I just carried on with that momentum.

"I started off very poorly and that errant second shot on 16 made it interesting but I hit a few good shots coming in... I'm glad I held onto it.

"I'm glad I could pull this off this week, it's sort of a dream come true being able to play a tournament on a golf course you helped design and end up winning it.

"This is the first event my daughters have been to where I won, this is very special."

Both Oosthuizen and De Villiers dropped shots after missing the green at the fourth and there was a two-shot swing on the par-five next as Oosthuizen needed a drop off the tee and De Villiers got up and down for birdie.

Canter had made a two-putt birdie on the par five and he followed it with another gain from eight feet on the driveable sixth but De Villiers made an excellent up-and-down after finding a tricky spot off the tee on the same hole to lead alone.

Oosthuizen also took advantage of the short par four despite finding sand off the tee, with an excellent pitch at the par-five eighth helping him move back into a share of top spot.

The 41-year-old then holed a very long putt at the tenth to lead alone and both he and De Villiers made two-putt birdies on the par-five 12th before the latter got back into a share following a brilliant second after missing the green at the driveable par-four 13th.

Canter had done well to save par after missing the green at the ninth and tenth and he kept himself right in the mix, making two putts from the fringe on the 12th and driving the 13th to be just one shot back.

De Villiers joined him at 15 under after a three-putt on the 15th and Oosthuizen was two ahead when a beautiful pitch on the same hole spun back to tap-in range.

The lead was cut to one after a ragged Oosthuizen tee-shot and second at the 16th and De Villiers' chance was gone after missing the green at the par-three 17th.

Canter could not take advantage of the par-five 18th as he signed for a bogey-free 68 to hand Oosthuizen a one-shot lead coming down the last and a two-putt birdie extended the winning margin, with De Villiers making par for a 71.

Söderberg twice held the lead and set the clubhouse target earlier in the day before the later groups edged clear, recovering from an opening bogey with ten birdies as he came home in 29.

Brown was bogey-free in his 65, making birdies on the fifth, seventh, 12th, 13th, 15th, 17th and last.

Schaper sandwiched five birdies with bogeys on the fourth and 17th in his 69 to finish a shot ahead of countrymen Thomas Aiken, Lyle Rowe and Darren Fichardt and two clear of American John Catlin.

Louis Oosthuizen back on top in Mauritius

Louis Oosthuizen moved himself into pole position to make it back-to-back wins on the DP World Tour with a third-round 65 at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

Challenge Tour Partners

RBC Heritage

Harbour Town Golf Links

This loophole has now allowed LIV golfers to win five of six DP World Tour events

Stuart Franklin

Career firsts don’t often come when you’re 41 years old, but Louis Oosthuizen is appreciative of the one he pulled off on Sunday. A two-shot victory over Laurie Canter at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open marked a second straight DP World Tour title for the former Open Championship winner after claiming the Alfred Dunhill Championship six days earlier. And that marked the first time the South African has won tournaments in back-to-back starts on any circuit.

“Golf is the strangest thing," said Oosthuizen, who hadn’t won since 2018 before his recent run. "The last five weeks I've not done a lot with golf, I've played a few rounds and when I got to Leopard Creek [and the Alfred Dunhill] I was working on a small little thing. I started hitting it really good and I know I'm putting well and then I just carried on with that momentum.”

Oosthuizen jumped to the LIV Golf League in 2022 and no longer is a member of the DP World Tour, but sponsors’ exemptions into both events allowed him to increase his career win total on his former circuit to 11. And it also capped a crazy unusual of play in the first part of the 2023-24 DP World Tour season.

Of the six DP World Tour events contested so far—billed the “Opening Swing” by the tour, five were won by LIV golfers who don’t have status on the DP World Tour but were participants in the tournament based off sponsors’ exemptions.

More From Golf Digest

Before Oosthuizen’s twin wins, Dean Burmester won the Joberg Open and South African Open in back-to-back weeks. And Joaquin Niemann pulled out the title at the Australian Open . Min Woo Lee was the lone member of the DP World Tour to win one of the tour’s early events when he captured the Australian PGA Championship.

The LIV golfers who competed in these co-sanctioned DP World Tour events also benefitted from the fact that these tournaments awarded World Ranking points. That’s something LIV events don’t and it’s resulted in several LIV golfers tumbling well down the World Ranking list.

Consider Oosthuizen: Entering last week’s event he ranked 441st in the OWGR. After win No. 2, he’s projected to be 133rd when the official listing comes out on Monday.

Burmester jumped from 154th the week before his win to 75th. Niemann was 87th, but his victory in Australian bumped him to 59th.

Even a non-winner benefitted from playing in these home events. Charl Schwartzel was runner-up to Oosthuizen at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, and saw his World Ranking go from 503rd to 289th.

More from Golf Digest

Trending now.

Follow Playing Through online:

• Follow Playing Through on Twitter
• Follow Playing Through on Instagram
• Follow Playing Through on Facebook

Site search

• Champions Tour
• DP World Tour
• Latest News

Filed under:

Louis Oosthuizen the latest LIV golfer to go back to back on DP World Tour

Oosthuizen held on and won for the second week in a row on the DP World Tour as the LIV Golf player keeps the rival tour’s streak alive.

Share this story

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on Twitter
• Share this on Reddit
• Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: Louis Oosthuizen the latest LIV golfer to go back to back on DP World Tour

Louis Oosthuizen went back-to-back on the DP World Tour as the South African followed up his Alfred Dunhill Championship victory with one at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

He is the second straight member of LIV Golf to win two weeks straight in the “Opening Swing,” a six-event series on the DP World Tour held in Australia, South Africa and Mauritius.

Fellow Stinger GC teammate and South African Dean Burmester was the first when he won the Joburg Open and the Investec South African Open Championship.

Last week’s win for Oosthuizen was his first in five years. Instead of waiting another five years for a victory, the 2010 Open Champion made good just one week later. This marked the first time in his career that he had gone back-to-back.

“Golf is the strangest thing. The last five weeks, I’ve not done a lot with golf. I’ve played a few rounds, and when I got to Leopard Creek, I was working on a small thing,” Oosthuizen said. “I started hitting it really good. I know I’m putting well, and then I just carried on with that momentum.”

. @Louis57TM wins back-to-back events for the first time in his career #AfrAsiaBankMauritiusOpen pic.twitter.com/IdswcFcXUq — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) December 17, 2023

He fired off a final round 69 to get to 17-under in the tournament. He held off Laurie Canter by two shots for the win.

Oosthuizen entered Sunday with a one-shot lead at Heritage La Réserve Golf Club. However, he quickly saw it disappear as Canter, Sebastian Söderberg, and Jacques de Villiers all held the lead at some point.

There was some drama over the back nine for the LIV golf captain and those battling, but his 69 was enough to get him the win.

“I started very poorly. That errant second shot on 16 made it interesting, but I hit a few good shots coming in... I’m glad I held onto that one,” he said. “I’m glad I could pull this off this week. It’s a dream come true to play a tournament on a golf course you helped design and end up winning it. This is the first event my daughters have been to where I won — this is very special.”

High fives and hugs for Dad ❤️ #AfrAsiaBankMauritiusOpen pic.twitter.com/OXGvfjZpjL — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) December 17, 2023

Oosthuizen dropped a shot after he missed the green at the fourth. Then there was a two-shot swing on the par-5 5th as he needed to drop off the tee. De Villiers got up and down for birdie on that hole.

De Villiers took the solo lead on the 6th after he made an excellent up-and-down. However, Oosthuizen didn’t let that affect him. He took advantage of the 7th and 8th holes, which helped him regain a share of the lead.

His long birdie putt on the 10th was a momentum shifter for the 41-year-old. However, De Villiers didn’t go quietly. He made birdies on 12 and 13 to share the lead.

But the South African played well down the stretch. A birdie on the 18th solidified the two-shot win.

This victory from the 14-time PGA Tour winner extends LIV Golf’s win streak to five in a row. It's been all LIV Golf since Min Woo Lee won the first “Open Swing” event. Burmester won the following two events. Joaquin Niemann won the ISPS Handa Australian Open, and now Oosthuizen has claimed the final two tournaments.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

Next Up In Golf

• RBC Heritage: Scottie Scheffler’s wild 9-hole prep amid Masters win, revealed
• Chevron Championship to donate millions with amazing Birdie & Hole in 1 Challenge
• LIV Golf: Talor Gooch throws body blow to 72-hole events amid OWGR controversy
• Stacy Lewis laments lack of LPGA coverage amidst Nelly Korda historic run
• Rose Zhang flip flops on leaping into lake with Chevron Championship win
• RBC Heritage: Ludvig Aberg recounts “dumb mistake” that cost him The Masters

Loading comments...

Sign up for the newsletter sign up for the playing through daily roundup newsletter, thanks for signing up.

Check your inbox for a welcome email.

Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again.

Louis Oosthuizen continues remarkable LIV Golf streak on DP World Tour

Louis Oosthuizen kept alive the streak of LIV Golf players winning DP World Tour events by capturing the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.

Louis Oosthuizen won his first title on the DP World Tour in five years after overcoming fellow South African Charl Schwartzel at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. 

Oosthuizen posted a final round of 3-under 69 to win by two strokes on 18-under but he had to endure a nervous finish in his home country.  

He made bogey on the 17th hole at Leopard Creek Country Club which opened the door for Schwartzel. 

The 2010 Open champion then found the water with his second stroke at the par-5 final hole. 

After taking his medicine, Oosthuizen managed to hold his nerve and rolled in a lengthy par putt to take home the first place prize of €255,000.00. 

It was his first victory on the European tour since the 2018 South African Open. 

Oosthuizen's win marks the fourth victory in a row for LIV Golf players.

Dean Burmester, who plays in Oosthuizen's Stinger GC team, picked up two of those victories. 

Burmester first won the Joburg Open and followed that by triumphing at the Investec South African Open Championship. 

Joaquin Niemann took down the ISPS Handa Australian Open. 

"Just got lucky on this one," Oosthuizen said of his 10th DP World Tour win and 15th worldwide as a professional. 

He added: "I knew I needed to play well -- Charl plays really well around this place. I made a few putts there in the middle of the round and got ahead of Charl. I was in between what to do on 18, and made five the hard way."

Oosthuizen and Schwartzel resumed the weather-delayed Alfred Dunhill Championship on Monday tied for the lead with 10 holes to play. 

Oosthuizen pulled away from the field by making three quickfire birdies. 

Elsewhere, England's Marco Penge finished T-4 alongside Matti Schmid and Darius van Drield.

Andy Sullivan also posted a top-10 finish. 

Tour victories for @Louis57TM ! #DunhillChamps pic.twitter.com/KOCWz17kgq — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) December 11, 2023

• Watch: LIV hopeful tops shot into water after four-putting in dramatic playoff
• Tour pro rips Jon Rahm over LIV Golf format claim: "F--- me, heard it all now!"
• One of LIV Golf's harshest critics changes his tune: "Best thing for PGA Tour"
• 10 players who changed their minds about LIV Golf: "I'm obviously not going!"

Sponsored Posts

Latest news.

Latest Reviews

• CBSSports.com
• Fanatics Sportsbook
• CBS Sports Home
• Champions League
• Motor Sports
• High School
• Horse Racing 

Men's Brackets

Women's Brackets

Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy football, football pick'em, college pick'em, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey, franchise games, 24/7 sports news network.

• CBS Sports Golazo Network
• PGA Tour on CBS
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• Italian Serie A
• Watch CBS Sports Network
• TV Shows & Listings

The Early Edge

A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast

With the First Pick

NFL Draft is coming up!

• Podcasts Home
• The First Cut Golf
• Beyond the Arc
• Eye On College Basketball
• NFL Pick Six
• Cover 3 College Football
• Fantasy Football Today
• My Teams Organize / See All Teams Help Account Settings Log Out

2024 PGA Championship odds, field: Surprising PGA picks from golf model that has nailed 11 majors

Sportsline's proven model simulated the pga championship 2024 10,000 times and revealed its pga golf picks for valhalla golf club.

The 2024 PGA Championship will be a homecoming for Justin Thomas since the tournament takes place in his hometown of Louisville, Ky. Valhalla Golf Club will host the event, with the first round beginning on Thursday, May 16. Thomas is a two-time PGA champion, but this will be his first pro event at his hometown course. Even with the feel-good story of Thomas' homecoming, he still sits outside the top 20 golfers with the shortest 2024 PGA Championship odds. He's a 33-1 longshot, while two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is the 4-1 favorite. Jon Rahm follows at 9-1, with McIlroy at 10-1 and Koepka at 16-1 among the 2024 PGA Championship golfers.

Before locking in any 2024 PGA Championship picks of your own, entering picks on sites like DraftKings or FanDuel, or finalizing PGA Championship props and PGA Championship Pick Six entries, be sure to see the 2024 PGA Championship golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine .

Our proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up almost $10,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure's model correctly predicted Scottie Scheffler would finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2024 Masters, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and The Players Championship this season. McClure also included Hideki Matsuyama in his best bets to win the 2024 Genesis Invitational. That bet hit at +9000, and for the entire tournament, McClure's best bets returned nearly $1,000.

The model also predicted Jon Rahm would be victorious at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. At the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm's second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scheffler winning in 2022.

In addition, McClure's best bets included Nick Taylor (70-1) winning the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, Jason Day (17-1) winning outright at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson, and Rickie Fowler (14-1) finishing on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

This same model has also nailed a whopping 11 majors entering the weekend and hit the Masters three straight years. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.

Now with the PGA Championship 2024 field taking shape, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard.

Top 2024 PGA Championship predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the 2024 PGA Championship: Brooks Koepka, a three-time PGA champion and one of the favorites, stumbles and doesn't even crack the top 10. Koepka has five major tournament wins on his resume and a reputation for elevating his level of play in big events. However, his last two major starts haven't gone well as he was 45th at the Masters, which followed a 64th-place finish at last year's Open Championship. He's failed to shoot par in each of his last seven rounds at major tournaments.

After notching three tournament wins in 2023, including last year's PGA Championship, it has been tough sledding for Koepka in 2024. He has no victories, or even top-fives, and across his six starts, he has three times as many finishes outside the top 25 (three) as he has inside the top 10 (one). He played Valhalla at the 2014 PGA Championship and finished in a tie for 15th place, but that placement ranks just eighth out of his 11 career PGA Championship starts.

Another surprise: Will Zalatoris, a 25-1 longshot, makes a strong run at the title. He's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. After missing most of last season following back surgery, Zalatoris has rebounded in a big way. His ninth-place finish at the Masters marked his third top-10 over his last five starts of this season. Additionally, it displayed Zalatoris' resolve in majors, as he has an eye-popping seven top-10s over his last 10 major starts. That includes a runner-up at the 2022 PGA Championship, where he was among the top two of the leaderboard after every round and only lost in a playoff to Justin Thomas.

Zalatoris is one of the premier ball-strikers, both with his driver and with iron play. He ranks in the top 25 of the PGA Tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green, driving accuracy percentage, total driving and strokes gained: approach the green. Being such a strong first- and second-shot golfer has allowed him to rank 21st on tour in scoring average (adjusted) despite shaking off rust early in the season.  See who else to pick here .

How to make 2024 PGA Championship picks

The model is also targeting three other golfers with odds of 25-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model's picks here .

Who will win the 2024 PGA Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the PGA Championship 2024 odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected PGA Championship leaderboard, all from the model that's nailed 11 golf majors, including the last three Masters .

2024 PGA Championship odds, field

Get full 2024 PGA Championship picks, best bets, and predictions here.

Scottie Scheffler 4-1 Jon Rahm 9-1 Rory McIlroy 10-1 Ludvig Aberg 16-1 Brooks Koepka 16-1 Xander Schauffele 18-1 Viktor Hovland 20-1 Patrick Cantlay 20-1 Wyndham Clark 20-1 Cameron Smith 22-1 Joaquin Niemann 22-1 Collin Morikawa 25-1 Sam Burns 25-1 Max Homa 25-1 Matt Fitzpatrick 28-1 Tom Kim 28-1 Jordan Spieth 30-1 Bryson DeChambeau 30-1 Tony Finau 30-1 Dustin Johnson 30-1 Justin Thomas 33-1 Hideki Matsuyama 35-1 Jason Day 35-1 Cameron Young 35-1 Tommy Fleetwood 40-1 Rickie Fowler 45-1 Min Woo Lee 50-1 Sungjae Im 50-1 Shane Lowry 50-1 Tyrrell Hatton 50-1 Brian Harman 55-1 Corey Conners 60-1 Patrick Reed 65-1 Justin Rose 65-1 Russell Henley 65-1 Sahith Theegala 65-1 Keegan Bradley 75-1 Adam Scott 80-1 Talor Gooch 90-1 Gary Woodland 100-1 Kurt Kitayama 100-1 Daniel Berger 100-1 Louis Oosthuizen 125-1 Tiger Woods 125-1 Si Woo Kim 125-1 Keith Mitchell 125-1 Thomas Pieters 125-1 Abraham Ancer 125-1 J.T. Poston 125-1 Sepp Straka 125-1 Mito Pereira 150-1 Harris English 150-1 Phil Mickelson 150-1 Ryan Fox 150-1 Adam Hadwin 150-1 Sergio Garcia 150-1 Seamus Power 175-1 Denny McCarthy 175-1 Robert MacIntyre 175-1 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 175-1 Davis Riley 175-1 Aaron Wise 175-1 Marc Leishman 175-1 Billy Horschel 200-1 Harold Varner III 200-1 Jason Kokrak 200-1 Mackenzie Hughes 225-1 Francisco Molinari 225-1 Joel Dahmen 250-1

Our Latest Golf Stories

Is a grand slam in play for Scottie Scheffler?

Kyle porter • 4 min read.

2024 RBC Heritage odds, expert picks, best bets

Cbs sports staff • 4 min read.

2024 RBC Heritage odds, picks, computer simulation

How to watch 2024 RBC Heritage

Patrick mcdonald • 2 min read.

2024 RBC Heritage One and Done expert picks, sleepers

2024 RBC Heritage PGA DFS picks, lineups, strategy

Cbs sports staff • 3 min read, share video.

2024 PGA Championship odds, picks, best bets, field

RBC Heritage preview, predictions

Faith, focus make Scheffler unshakable

Masters thoughts: Åberg's trajectory

Rory McIlroy emphatically shuts down LIV Golf rumors

2024 Masters prize money, $20M payout breakdown

Scheffler wins Masters despite wife's rare absence

Tiger ends 100th Masters with worst major score

Spieth, J.T. among stars to miss the cut at Masters