The sun shines on Harvey

Ballito based Jared Harvey walked away with his first win in the prestigious Sunshine Tour when he scored a four-stroke victory over his closest competitor at Zimbali Country Club in August this year.

Harvey’s victory came during the Vodacom Origins of Golf event at the country club, where he closed a final round one-under-par 71 for a total 12-under-par finish.

He ended with a score of 204 (64, 69, 71), followed by Louis de Jager in second (208) and Jonathan Agren in third (210).

The 29-year-old Harvey has lived most of his life on the North Coast and told the Courier it was both a joy and a relief to have claimed the win.

He had previously won two Big Easy tournaments but this was his first Sunshine Tour victory.

“I went pro in 2012 and since then there have been a lot of second places, so it was amazing to finally break through that barrier.”

Harvey enjoyed a special week at Zimbali, saying he was on song from the get-go on the familiar course.

“I was definitely hunting the win, so it was nice having a seven shot lead going into the final round to give me some breathing room.”

The Sunshine Tour is a men’s professional golf tour based in Southern Africa, the tour is one of the six leading men’s tours which before 2009 made up the membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours.

The former SA Amateur Champion and captain of the Springbok four man team said he got his start early in life.

“My dad – George – was a coach, so I was pretty much swinging from the age of five.” In primary school he played other sports, but Harvey said when he reached high school he decided to focus on his golf game.

“I remember spending one whole day out on the cricket field, and I had a terrible innings, and when we were done my dad said: ‘Listen, you are a golfer, let’s not spend hours out here getting sunburned’.”

Harvey said his father is still the only coach he trusts to help him.

His advice to young golfers is not to take the game too seriously and overdo the practice.

Instead, he says you should have fun on the links and focus on the basics such as stance, posture and grip. He said his favourite courses were the links of Fancourt in George and – of course – the birthplace of golf at St. Andrews in Scotland.

Golf naturally lends itself to superstitions and Harvey revealed that he has a few of his own.

“I do not play with a number four ball, ever, which is funny because my dad plays with one but I just do not like it. I also use a casino chip as a marker and my driver must always be on the right hand side of the back pouch of my bag.”

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