The much-anticipated return of the Joburg Open is upon us and 2016 winner Haydn Porteous is impressed with the precautionary measures put in place in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Joburg Open marks the return of international golf to South African shores and co-sanctioned with the European Tour, this event marks the first of three back-to-back events which include the SA Open Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Championship which is the Tour’s flagship tournament this season.

“I think the HealthDoc App has made things pretty easy for us,” Porteous said ahead of Thursday’s tee-off. “It helps us because we are now able to do temperature checks and all that. These are difficult times and you can’t be too careful so I think the Sunshine Tour has done a great job trying to curb the spread of the virus and I take my hat off for them.”

Porteous returns to the scene of his maiden European Tour victory, Randpark Golf Club, and while in the past both the Bushwillow and Firethorn courses have been used for this event due to the size of the field, he will have Firethorn to navigate through this week.

“I am really looking forward to these three weeks at home,” he said. “We are playing one course this year and that makes my build-up a bit shorter than normal. I would normally be arriving on a Monday evening and try to play both courses but now you have a cushion of only having to play one. So, it’s a little different in that aspect but apart from that, same approach.”

Porteous is aware of the dangers that lurk around Firethorn and is prepared to give it a go and see if he can’t have his name etched in the history books of this prestigious tournament.

“I’ve been trying to get my short game into the right shape and now we have to see what the course has to offer,” he said.

By Matthews Mfubu