ALTAAF Bux of Port Shepstone Country Club has secured his Sunshine Tour card via the Vusi Ngubeni Qualifying School tournament held at Modderfontein Golf Club last week.
He finished in 11th place, earning one of the 15 cards on offer. More than 100 hopefuls teed it up; most went home disappointed.
It has been said that the pressure at Q School is tougher than the actual Tour, so Altaaf was pretty pleased and relieved to have got the job done.
In his usual humble manner, Altaaf didn’t even want to agree to a story. “It’s not too soon? Maybe I should win a few tournaments first,” he chirped.
He has what is regarded as one of the most technically correct swings out there. This is remarkable as it’s been mostly self-taught.
It’s also clear Altaaf has been doing some golf-specific weight training and he has added distance to his shots.
He has also enjoyed the support of his parents. His dad Doc Ayoob Bux introduced him to the game and still plays off what Altaaf described as a “steady 18 handicap” and that he has “an athletic swing for his age”.
Altaaf is one of very few Muslims on Tour, maybe the only one in South Africa.
In his amateur days, he picked up the name ‘Halaal’, given to him when he played for KwaZulu-Natal at the South African Country Districts tournament.
“There are a couple Muslim guys from Zimbabwe that have their cards but I’m not too sure about me being the only Muslim in South Africa,” he said.
Sometimes tournaments are played during Ramadaan. “I fast and play, but Ramadaan is in our winter so it’s not too bad.”
The Sunshine Tour season starts in April so he’ll spend the next few months honing his skills.
While getting his card was a fight, the hard work starts now, as he still has to pre-qualify for some of the bigger events.
“The card means a lot as I’ve been working really hard on my game and it’s been showing in my results over the past six months,” he explained.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time on my short game recently and I have to thank Derek James for all the help his given me,” he said.
He has a quiet confidence that this season will be better than last year.
Watch this space.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
For news straight to your phone, add us on BBM 58F3D7A7 or WhatsApp 082 421 6033
