Gary Player gives tips to Potgieter and Jarvis ahead of Masters start

Highly ranked South African golfers Casey Jarvis and Aldrich Potgieter are looking forward to Thursday’s start of the Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club.

Jarvis and Potgieter are the second and third-highest ranked South African players behind Jayden Schaper.

Jarvis, who jumped from 211th at the end of last year to 70th in the world rankings, is playing his first Masters tournament. After playing in the Par-3 Contest on Wednesday, the 22-year-old said he was looking forward to teeing off in the only one of four men’s golf majors played on the same course every year.

“I don’t want to get the expectations too high. My form’s been really good lately. I’ve got a lot of confidence, so I’m going to keep trying to ride the wave.”

Jarvis believes his short game has improved, leading to better results. “I improved, worked really hard on it and it got a lot better. The results proved it.”

Jarvis tees off at 8.50am Georgia time (2.50pm in SA) in a flight with Kurt Kitayama and Kristoffer Reitan, while Potgieter gets his second Masters start underway with Jose Maria Olazabal and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen at 8.02am (2.02pm SA time).

Potgieter said his preparations this time have been very different from 2023, when he participated as an amateur.

“I’ve got a lot bigger team with me this week. I have coaches, stats guys, physios.

“I feel good. Can’t say too much until you step on the tee. I think my game is a lot better since I was here in 2023. I definitely feel more complete, as a complete golfer. A little more professional. We’re looking forward to it and we’ll see what happens.”

The third South African participating at the Masters, Charl Schwartzel, is in a flight with Max Greyserman and Ryan Fox and has a tee-off time of 8.26am Georgia time (2.26pm in SA).

Potgieter and Jarvis competed in the Par-3 Contest on Wednesday and were on the same flight as Gary Player.

It is not surprising that, as Jarvis and Potgieter’s combined age of 43 is less than the number of times Player has started at the Masters (52), they asked the three-time Masters champion for tips for playing the Augusta National course.

“Walking up the ninth during the Par-3 I asked Mr Player some tips and he gave me a few,” Jarvis said.

Potgieter added: “He has so much knowledge built up in his memory. But we’re trying to have some fun on this Par-3, not to bug him too much. He’s real positive with me and Casey this week.

“Our game has been really good. I think he’s trying to cheer us up and get us in a good mood for this week.”

He’s got a chance. He can play. I would put my money on him

—  Gary Player on Aldrich Potgieter

Player said he believed Potgieter could go on to win some majors in his career: “He’s got a chance. He can play. I would put my money on him.”

Like most other players, Potgieter and Jarvis did not hand in their scorecard at the end of the Par-3 Contest, the mini-event that traditionally gets things under way at Augusta.

Most players treat it more like a family outing than a golfing competition and many have their children, other family members or friends caddying for them. They often get to play a few shots.

England’s Aaron Rai won the nine-hole competition on six-under from Jacob Bridgeman and John Keefer. The win for the 31-year-old must be bitter-sweet, though, as no player has gone on to win the Masters in the same year as winning the Par-3.

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