Daniel van Tonder (born 12 March 1991) is a South African professional golfer who plays on the Challenge Tour and the Sunshine Tour.
Professional career Van Tonder turned professional in 2011 and played on the Sunshine Tour. He has won 12 times on the tour, with his first two coming in 2014; the Investec Royal Swazi Open and the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Euphoria. He also won the Mopani Redpath Greendoor Logistics Zambia Open in 2019. In 2020, he won four tournaments on the Sunshine Tour in the space of three months.
In March 2021, van Tonder claimed his first European Tour victory at the Kenya Savannah Classic. He defeated Jazz Janewattananond with a tap-in birdie on the third playoff hole. The following month he lost in a four-man playoff for the Limpopo Championship. In December 2021, van Tonder won the SA Open Championship; the Sunshine Tour's flagship event. He shot a final-round 65 to win by one shot ahead of Oliver Bekker.
At the beginning of 2025, van Tonder won the opening two events on the Challenge Tour season, both being co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour. Heading into the third tournament of the season; the Cell C Cape Town Open, van Tonder was aiming to become the first player in history to win three consecutive Challenge Tour events and earn automatic promotion to the European Tour. He eventually finished tied-sixth. In March, he secured the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit for the 2024–25 season. Van Tonder finished the Challenge Tour season in ninth place on the rankings, gaining status to play on the 2026 European Tour.
Personal life Van Tonder is married to Abigail who also has also acted as his caddie.
Professional wins (15) European Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up126 Mar 2021Kenya Savannah Classic−21 (65-64-70-64=263)Playoff Jazz Janewattananond
European Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult12021Kenya Savannah Classic Jazz JanewattananondWon with birdie on third extra hole
Sunshine Tour wins (13) Legend Flagship events (1) Playoff events (1) Other Sunshine Tour (11) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up110 May 2014Investec Royal Swazi Open48 pts (4-12-14-18=48)Playoff Jacques Blaauw, Jared Harvey227 Jun 2014Vodacom Origins of Golf at Euphoria−12 (67-67-70=204)1 stroke Tyrone Ferreira331 Mar 2019Mopani Redpath Greendoor Logistics Zambia Open−5 (72-73-68-70=283)1 stroke Callum Mowat428 Aug 2020African Bank Sunshine Tour Championship−11 (67-70-68=205)3 strokes George Coetzee, Adilson da Silva, Neil Schietekat525 Sep 2020Vodacom Championship Unlocked−13 (66-70-67=203)1 stroke M. J. Viljoen62 Oct 2020Vodacom Championship Reloaded−21 (63-66-66=195)4 strokes Jaco Ahlers, Adilson da Silva731 Oct 2020Investec Royal Swazi Open (2)48 pts (15-12-11-10=48)18 points Neil Schietekat85 Dec 2021SA Open Championship−16 (69-68-70-65=272)1 stroke Oliver Bekker93 Aug 2024FNB Eswatini Challenge−14 (68-66-68=202)2 strokes Yurav Premlall1030 Aug 2024Gary & Vivienne Player Challenge−14 (70-66-66=202)Playoff Yurav Premlall, Martin Rohwer1126 Jan 2025SDC Open1−16 (72-65-68-67=272)Playoff Altin van der Merwe122 Feb 2025MyGolfLife Open1−27 (62-66-66-67=261)2 strokes Martin Vorster1315 Mar 2026Serengeti Playoffs−21 (70-63-71-63=267)2 strokes Allen John, Wilco Nienaber 1Co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour
Sunshine Tour playoff record (3–3) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result12014Investec Royal Swazi Open Jacques Blaauw, Jared HarveyWon with birdie on first extra hole22014Nedbank Affinity Cup Louis de Jager, Vaughn Groenewaldde Jager won with birdie on second extra holevan Tonder eliminated by birdie on first hole32021Players Championship Jaco Prinsloo, Jake RoosPrinsloo won with birdie on third extra holeRoos eliminated by eagle on first hole42021Limpopo Championship Oliver Bekker, Hennie du Plessis, Brandon StoneStone won with birdie on first extra hole52024Gary & Vivienne Player Challenge Yurav Premlall, Martin RohwerWon with par on fourth extra holePremlall eliminated by birdie on second hole62025SDC Open Altin van der MerweWon with par on first extra hole
Challenge Tour wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up126 Jan 2025SDC Open1−16 (72-65-68-67=272)Playoff Altin van der Merwe22 Feb 2025MyGolfLife Open1−27 (62-66-66-67=261)2 strokes Martin Vorster 1Co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour
Challenge Tour playoff record (1–1) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result12021Limpopo Championship Oliver Bekker, Hennie du Plessis, Brandon StoneStone won with birdie on first extra hole22025SDC Open Altin van der MerweWon with par on first extra hole
IGT Pro Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up19 Mar 2016Houghton Open−22 (65-64-65=194)9 strokes Zachary Portemont
Results in major championships Tournament20212022202320242025Masters TournamentPGA ChampionshipT44CUTCUTU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipT40CUT
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied
Results in World Golf Championships Tournament2015201620172018201920202021ChampionshipT6671Match PlayNT1InvitationalChampionsT72NT1NT1 1Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
NT = No tournament "T" = Tied
See also 2025 Challenge Tour graduates
References
External links