South African Masters (and Pro Match Play Championship)
First played: 1923
Last played: 2011
In chronological order, the biggest winners in South African Masters history were Sid Brews, Bobby Locke and Gary Player. Brews won six times during the match-play era, when the event was known as the South African Professional Match Play Championship. His first win was in 1926 and his last not until 1952. He beat his brother Jock Brews in the title match in 1928.
The torch was passed to Locke in 1938, when he defeated Brews in the championship match. Locke won a total of seven times, last in 1955.
Player reached the championship match for the first time one year later, but he lost that one. Player won his first title the last year the tournament was match play, in 1959, then won again in its first stroke-play year, 1960. And in that 1960 tournament (when it was named Dunlop South African Masters), Player won by a whopping 17 strokes.
Player went on to win 11 times total: 1959, 1960, 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972 (twice, in January and again in December), 1974, 1976 (twice again, in February and November), and 1979.
The tournament's most successful player in the post-Player years was Mark McNulty. McNulty recorded five victories (first in 1982, last in 2001) and also was runner-up three times.
Justin Rose's victory in February 2002 was the second win of his professional career. Ernie Els' victory in 1992 was the third win of his professional career, and one of six he had on the Sunshine Tour in his rookie season.
Winners of the South African Masters Tournament
2011 — Shaun Norris, 2712010 — Warren Abery, 267
2009 — Darren Fichardt, 263
2008 — Marc Cayeux, 268
2007 — Jean Hugo, 269
2006 — Warren Abery, 265
2005 — Richard Sterne, 269
2004 — Andrew McLardy, 264
2003 — Not played
2002 (Nov.) — Hennie Otto, 279
2002 (Feb.) — Justin Rose, 265
2001 — Mark McNulty, 274
2000 — Not played
1999 — Desvonde Botes, 269
1997 — Mark McNulty, 276
1996 — Wayne Westner, 280
1995 — Scott Dunlap, 279
1994 — Chris Davison, 281
1993 — Tony Johnstone, 275
1992 — Ernie Els, 275
1991 — Not played
1990 — Fulton Allem, 276
1989 — Hugh Baiocchi, 281
1988 — John Bland, 275
1987 — David Frost, 273
1986 — Mark McNulty, 270
1985 — Mark McNulty, 278
1984 — Tony Johnstone, 277
1982 — Mark McNulty, 275
1981 — Nick Price, 281
1980 — Not played
1979 — Gary Player, 270
1978 — Dale Hayes, 275
1977 — Not played
1976 (Nov.) — Gary Player, 270
1976 (Feb.) — Gary Player, 268
1975 — John Fourie, 199 (shortened due to weather)
1974 — Gary Player, 270
1973 — Not played
1972 (Dec.) — Gary Player, 268
1972 (Jan.) — Gary Player, 267
1971 — Gary Player, 269
1970 — a-John Fourie, 266
1969 — Bobby Cole, 280
1968 — Allan Henning, 278
1967 — Gary Player, 279
1966 — Cedric Amm, 276
1965 — Denis Hutchinson, 281
1964 — Gary Player, 285
1963 — Bruce Keyter, 291
1962 — Denis Hutchinson, 280
1961 — Denis Hutchinson, 276
1960 — Gary Player, 266
Winners of the South African Professional Match Play Championship
(36-hole championship matches)
1959 — Gary Player def. Harold Henning, 3 and 1
1958 — Dai Rees def. Ken Bousfield, 3 and 2
1957 — John Jacobs def. Gary Player, 2 and 1
1956 — Ken Redford def. Gary Player, 2 and 1
1955 — Bobby Locke def. Brian Ellmore, 7 and 6
1954 — Jock Verwey def. A.N. Thomas, 11 and 9
1953 — Philip Ritson def. A.J. Bullock, 12 and 11
1952 — Sid Brews def. Philip Ritson, 7 and 6
1951 — Bobby Locke def. Harry Bradshaw, 4 and 3
1950 — Bobby Locke def. M.S. Hart, 9 and 8
1949 — Jock Verwey def. G.S. van Niekerk, 5 and 4
1948 — Jock Verwey def. James Ockenden Jr., 5 and 4
1947 — Sandy Guthrie def. James Ockenden Jr., 5 and 4
1946 — Bobby Locke def. Sid Brews 10 and 9
1941–1945 — Not played due to World War II
1940 — Bobby Locke def. Bert Elkin, 11 and 9
1939 — Bobby Locke def. M. Goldsmith, 12 and 11
1938 — Bobby Locke def. Sid Brews, 4 and 3
1937 — John Robertson def. A.N. Thomas, 1-up (37 holes)
1936 — Sid Brews def. John Robertson, 9 and 7
1935 — J. De Beer def. G. Brews, 5 and 4
1934 — Sid Brews def. Bert Elkin, 6 and 4
1933 — Sid Brews def. A.N. Thomas, 6 and 5
1932 — Charles McIlvenny def. Robert Grimsdell, 6 and 5
1931 — Charles McIlvenny def. Jock Brews, 10 and 9
1930 — Arthur Tomsett def. Charles McIlvenny, 1-up (37 holes)
1929 — Charles McIlvenny def. Robert Grimsdell, 8 and 7
1928 — Sid Brews def. Jock Brews, 2 and 1
1927 — Charles McIlvenny def. Robert Grimsdell, 3 and 1
1926 — Sid Brews def. G. Brews, 11 and 10
1925 — Jock Brews def. Robert Grimsdell, 3 and 2
1924 — Jock Brews def. Archie Tosh, 4 and 2
1923 — Bert Elkin def. Jimmie Johnstone, 4 and 3
Also known as: The tournament was named the Nashua Masters during its later years, from 2002 through the final tournament in 2011. Other tournament names, which changed with changing sponsorship, included Nashua Nedtel Cellular Masters, San Lameer South African Masters, Telkom South African Masters, EVS South African Masters, Twee Jonge Gezellen Masters, Safmarine South African Masters, SAB South African Masters, Kronenbrau Masters, and Dunlop South African Professional Match Play.
