Ballito’s rising golf star rules the South African rankings
The 20-year-old is in top form and now looks forward to a month of international golf in Zimbabwe and Argentina, and the biggest tournament of his career at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in December.
Ballito’s Astin Arthur has had a breakout year in 2024, winning six times and retaining the top spot in South Africa’s amateur golf rankings.
His winning streak includes the MCB Indian Ocean Open in a mixed field in Mauritius and the KZN Closed at Selborne, as well as many top finishes, like his tied 4th when the Sunshine Tour came to Umhlali Country Club earlier this month.
The 20-year-old is in top form and now looks forward to a month of international golf in Zimbabwe and Argentina, and the biggest tournament of his career at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in December.
It has been a series of results 17 years in the making, since Astin was first introduced to the game as a toddler by his grandfather, Tom Govindsamy.
“He used to take me after school and we would play a lot at Prince’s Grant, Simbithi and Umhlali Country Club where I had my first membership,” said Astin.
A talented junior golfer, Astin recalls finishing 6th at a global amateur event in Malaysia aged 12 and first thinking of a potential career in the sport.
“In Grade 10 I started to see that I could take this more seriously and left Westville Boy’s High to start homeschooling in Ballito,” he said.
“That’s really when I started putting in the hours and dedicated my life to golf and have done so ever since.”
Astin is a member of Mt Edgecombe Country Club and trains under the guidance of coach Keagan Beyer who is based at the Ebotse Links in Johannesburg.
“I am lucky to have a lot of support behind me, including Clinton Shum who works on my conditioning, my sports psychologist Theo Bezuidenhout and, of course, my family, without whom this wouldn’t be possible.”
“I have absolutely no pressure. My family treats me the same whether I win or finish dead last, which is important in a game like golf when you lose a lot more than you win. All glory goes to God, I’m just so grateful to Him for allowing me to be in this position.”
As for his next steps, Astin says turning professional is on the horizon but that he is focused on playing amateur golf for the moment.
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