Malcolm makes his mark with marvellous swing

SINCE his successful title defence in the Ekurhuleni Open last year, Kloof Country Club’s Malcolm Mitchell, has exploded onto the national golf scene.

In the last 10 months he racked up 12 top 10 finishes to crack the top 10 on the South African Golf Association Open Amateur Rankings, a tie for second in the KwaZulu-Natal Amateur 36-hole stroke play qualifier and victory in the match play at Southbroom Golf Club in August. All of this propelled Malcolm to third in the standings.

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His ascension into the top five earned Malcolm his first cap for South Africa in the Fellowship Cup Test against India at Leopard Creek, where he finished the week unbeaten.

On the back of this superb performance, Malcolm was selected to represent South Africa alongside fellow KZN standout, Matt Saulez, in two prestigious international events in Argentina this November.

We caught up with Malcolm to learn more about the guy behind the big swing and big smile.

What are some of your career highlights? I won the Ekurhuleni Open two years in a row (2015 and 2016) and made my international debut for South Africa against India in the 2017 Fellowship Cup.

What are five things that people don’t know about you? I love children, I’m a loud mouth, I love hard work, I’ve never been overseas and am a family man.

What is still on your bucket list? I would like to get the grand slam and buy a Mercedes C63 AMG.

How did your golfing career start? I would have to say that it started at the age of six when we still lived in Mooi River. I would go with my dad to the golf course on Saturdays just to ride the golf cart – that was more of a highlight than hitting a golf ball. As I improved, my attention switched from the cart to the ball.

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Who are your role models and why? My role model is my coach Shaun Coetzee. He always throws his full passion behind everything he says and does. My other huge role models are my mom and dad. They are both pillars of strength and have shown me that anything can be achieved.

What are your strengths and weaknesses? My strength is definitely my short game. I love it when people say that my ball is dead and I hit it close from nowhere. My weakness is that I still have a lot to learn about myself on the golf course, but I view it as a positive because I am still growing as a person.

Which tournament or major would you most like to win? I would love to win all four majors but failing that I would settle for the Masters.

What is your favourite home-cooked meal? It is definitely a steak with my family’s famous pepper sauce.

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The three must-have items you would pick if you were stranded on an island: My girlfriend, Lailaah, suntan lotion and coffee.

Describe yourself in one word: Passionate

Weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? The weirdest thing that I have eaten is by far was jelly fish. For the people that haven’t eaten jelly fish, take a shoelace, dunk it in cold water and try and eating that.

Who would be in your dream pairing? My dream pairing would be Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods and Shaun Coetzee.

What is your go-to golf club? The Lob Wedge. There is no situation to tough for The Lob Wedge.

What advice would you give youngsters just starting the game? Whatever you put your mind to you can achieve. Never give up through the good and the bad and make sure you have a strong support group to catch you when you fall.

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