Local professional golfer Ruan de Smidt from Krugersdorp Golf Club has encouraged amateur golfers to practise hard and work on their swings. He is preparing for an enthralling golf tournament abroad.The 27-year-old fitness fanatic caught up with the Northsider at Ruimsig Athletics Stadium, where the golfer was sweating it out on the track and stairs to achieve the fitness he desires.
De Smidt said he was preparing for a very important and elite tournament in Europe. “I’m going to Spain on 29 October for the European Qualifying School,” he said.
According to European Tour Properties, The European Tour Qualifying School matches were first played in 1976, four years after the birth of The European Tour, at Foxhills and Walton Heath Golf Clubs as a means of determining the players who would be eligible to play in the Monday Qualifying. The Monday Qualifying is a stroke-play golf tournament held on the Monday before a professional golf tournament, which entitles top finishers to enter the professional tournament.
Over the years the School has evolved into its current format, where tens of thousands of golfers have faced arguably the toughest examination in golf.
De Smidt explained how it all started for him. “I’ve been a golfer all my life through my dad who is the golf director at Krugersdorp Golf Club. I pretty much grew up on a golf course,” he said.
He added that he turned professional about six years ago and has been playing professionally ever since. To prove it, he listed a number of achievements under his belt. “I’ve won four Sunshine Tour tournaments in South Africa, and as an amateur I played overseas for my country a couple of times,” De Smidt mentioned.
The golfer has represented South Africa in the United States of America, New Zealand and Kenya.
As a young and upcoming golfer, De Smidt said, “Nothing comes easy in the game; young golfers really got to work very hard, especially on their swing and short game”.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at northsider@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites
