Be Afraid, Very Afraid of Charl Schwartzel

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 17, 2010 5:22 PM EST

South African golf is kind of hurting these days. Ernie Els is not playing very well right now. Retief Goosen is faring decently, but since a botched eye surgery, Goose hasn't been quite the same. Tim Clark seems to get up our hopes twice per year that he could finally win on the PGA Tour, but then he falls short. (Har har.)

For such a proud golf nation, there seems to be a lack of a clear future tour de force. That is, perhaps until now.

Charl Schwartzel may well be finding his groove. He has won in consecutive weeks on the European Tour in tournaments contested in his home nation.

First, he won the Africa Open by a shot, holding off three fellow countrymen in the process. Then, this week, he returned to win the Joburg Open by a cushy six shots. His closest competition this weekend was an ambitious Darren Clarke and fellow South African Keith Horne.

While neither field was anywhere near the top tier field that will assemble in Abu Dhabi next week, winning in consecutive weeks on the world's second best tour is no joke. The wins are the first by Schwartzel since 2008's Madrid Masters. Consider that Schwartzel does not even turn 26 until later this summer, the future for this kid could be very bright.

He is the first player to win in back-to-back weeks on the Euro circuit since Martin Kaymer did in July 2009. Kaymer was projected to have a strong close to '09 after those wins and followed up with a 6th place finish at Hazeltine in the PGA Championship and the same in the HSBC Champions. Schwartzel would be pleased to build upon these two wins with that level of performance throughout the year.

Schwartzel is not among the 91 men that have already been invited to the Masters tournament. This win likely assured him a spot in the Masters, though. One way for him to qualify is to be inside the top fifty of the Official World Golf Rankings in the week before the Masters. Schwartzel was at #51 entering the week and will certainly be well inside the top 50 on Monday morning. Barring some kind of catastrophe, he will be at Augusta.

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wins doesn’t exactly strike fear these days..He’s a good player though. We’ll see when the season really begins over there.

"The game is swell when it's played well."

by Fairways and Grins on Jan 17, 2010 5:25 PM EST reply actions

Waaaaa!!!!

I want him for fantasy golf…better than the friggin chokin dogs I got now….STUB

by thinker on Jan 17, 2010 5:43 PM EST reply actions

Schwartzel is definitely off to a great start this year…against the second tier competition while the bigger guns are in Hawaii. But South Africa is down ? Goosen is down ? Els ? Sabbatini ? Am I missing something from the last two weeks ?

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 17, 2010 9:04 PM EST reply actions

Goosen had a really nice 62 today. Sabbatini had a nice week. But it’s been a rough six months for South Africans for the winner’s circle.

Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 17, 2010 10:09 PM EST up reply actions

So, the

bigger guns are in Hawaii…..must all be out body surfing, cause they sure arn’t on the practice range or putting green….I didn’t see the BIG GUNS, all walking away with the tournament….I don’t mean to be so “bitchy” sorry Red & Wanda, but the boys lost….no, make that got their heads handed to them…STUB

by thinker on Jan 18, 2010 12:14 AM EST reply actions

"Bitching"

isn’t gender specific STIB. Who is this Wanda you have taken up with while my back was turned?

I was disappointed that my favourite players didn’t do better though.

by WendyUK on Jan 18, 2010 1:57 PM EST up reply actions

The South African leg of the Euro tour is where

rookies cut their teeth and established players outside the top 60 in Europe try to get a good start on the money list. Always popular with home grown players of course, South Africans do very well at home, as you would expect. Much like the first few on the USPGA tour, most of the top players start in Febuary.

by Easingwold on Jan 18, 2010 5:33 AM EST reply actions

Duhhhh

Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 18, 2010 11:16 AM EST up reply actions

Ryan - 1......Easy - 0

Saints are killing me!!!!!!!!

by em66 on Jan 18, 2010 11:25 AM EST up reply actions

Your headline was "Be afraid, be very afraid of Charl Schwartzel"

as a headline reminded me of the Golf Channel. I was just putting these 2 wins into perspective. Implying he could fill the void of South African golf left by Els and Goosen might happen one day, yes, but afraid ? C’mon, Ryan, you can do better than that.

by Easingwold on Jan 18, 2010 11:47 AM EST reply actions