LISTEN: The Open Championship and the Bok balancing act

Golf and rugby are on the Talking Point weekly podcast menu this week …

The fourth Golf Major of the year … the 151st edition of the British Open – or just simply The Open Championship to some … got underway at the Royal Liverpool layout in Hoylake on Thursday … and the Springboks are in camp in Pretoria for next week’s Rugby Championship clash against Argentina.

Host Trevor Cramer is joined on the TP Hotline by golf guru and renowned golf writer, broadcaster, publicist and author Michael Vlismas and in studio by the Head of Citizen Sport, Jacques van der Westhuyzen, himself an ardent golf enthusiast and very knowledgeable rugby man.

South African amateur Christo Lamprecht, one of 10 South Africans who teed it up, has already set the tongues wagging by seizing the clubhouse lead in the first round of the Open Championship with a superb five under-par 66 for starters on Thursday.

Join the panel as they look at the South African challenge as Majors are still proving to be elusive for them since 2012. We discuss whether there is another potential Major winner from Mzansi considering the country’s deep golfing talent pool.

We look at the top international contenders across the DP Tour, PGA Tour and LIV Golf space now that the civil war seems to have subsided, a look at the Royal Liverpool course and the golfing toolbox required to master Links golf.

And..Trevor puts Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber’s cap on Jacques van der Westhuyzen’s head as he tries to solve some of the Springbok selection puzzles ahead of next week’s Rugby Championship Test against Argentina and more importantly, which 33 players will be on the Plane bound for France in less than two months’ time.

And don’t miss the popular FLOP and GOLD STAR feature as Trevor and Jacques close in on the week’s sporting hits and misses.