The Natal Open was a golf tournament in South Africa. It was organised by the Natal Golf Union and ran from 1925 through to 1975. In latter years it was included within the Southern African Tour's Order of Merit. During the mid-20th century, major champions Bobby Locke and Gary Player had much success, winning several times each. In the 1960s, the tournament received international media coverage as Sewsunker Sewgolum, an Indian South African, controversially was allowed to enter the event and won it twice. In the final years of the Natal Open, Bobby Cole dominated, winning four times.
History The early years of the tournament were dominated by the Brews brothers, Jock Brews and Sid Brews, who won the first four tournaments. In 1935, a young Bobby Locke won the Natal Open. He repeated the following year. Due to his amateur status, he also won he amateur division of the event too. In the late 1950s, a young Gary Player had much success at the event. In 1958, Player won the event defeating runner-up Trevor Wilkes by five shots. Locke and Harold Henning finished a further shot back. The following year, Player defeated Locke in a 36-hole playoff, 135-142.
In the 1960s, the tournament was dominated by coverage of colored golfer Sewsunker Sewgolum. Sewgolum, recent back-to-back champion of the Dutch Open, had his application for entry into the 1961 event rejected. However, in 1963, Sewgolum was allowed to participate in the tournament. He won the event, defeating Denis Hutchinson and Bobby Verwey by a stroke. Sewgolum earned a 400 pound cheque and a silver trophy. He had to accept these prizes outside in the rain, however, due to the country's racial discrimination laws prohibiting non-whites from the clubhouse. Sewgolum's win and discriminatory victory celebration received international media attention, including from The New York Times. He became the first non-white person "to win a sanctioned golf tournament in competition with whites" in South Africa. Sewgolum also won the event two years later, defeating Gary Player and Harold Henning. Once again he had to accept his prizes outside of the clubhouse.
The later years of the tournament were dominated by Bobby Cole. In 1969, he defeated Peter Oosterhuis by a shot. Cole repeated as champion. The following year, Cole was tied for the third-round lead with Terry Westbrook. Cole shot a final round 69 but was overtaken by Westbrook's 68. He finished solo runner-up. Cole, however, came back and won the following year, in December 1972. Cole again repeated as champion a year and a half later.
In December 1975, the Natal Open scheduled for the following year was cancelled. New owners of tournament sponsors, Vavasseur International, withdrew support for the event, and the Natal Golf Union were unable to find a replacement.
Winners YearWinnerScoreMargin of victoryRunner(s)-upRef.Natal Open1925 Jock Brews1926 Sid Brews1927 Sid Brews (2)1928No tournament1929 Sid Brews (3)1930-34No tournament1935 Bobby Locke (a)1936 Bobby Locke (a) (2)1 stroke Sid Brews1937 Sid Brews (4)1938 Otway Hayes (a)1939 Jock Verwey1940-45No tournament due to World War II1946 Otway Hayes (2)1947 Eric Moore1948 Otway Hayes (3)1949No tournament1950 George Van Niekerk2991951 Sandy Guthrie2791952 Sandy Guthrie (2)2911953 Bobby Locke (3)1954 Bruce Keyter (a)1955 Denis Hutchinson (a)1956 Harold Henning2891957 Bruce Keyter2861958 Gary Player2895 strokes Trevor Wilkes1959 Gary Player (2)Playoff Bobby Locke1960 Gary Player (3)2821961 Harold Henning278Playoff Alan Brookes1962 Stewart Davies2851963 (Jan) Sewsunker Sewgolum2931 stroke Denis Hutchinson Bobby Verwey1963 (Dec) Cedric Amm291Playoff Bobby Verwey1965 Sewsunker Sewgolum (2)2851 stroke Gary Player Harold Henning1966 Gary Player (4)2862 strokes Cobie Legrange1967 Cobie Legrange2811 stroke Bobby Verwey1968 Gary Player (5)2816 strokes Cobie Legrange1969 Bobby Cole2821 stroke Peter Oosterhuis1970 Bobby Cole (2)2851 stoke Cobie Legrange1971 Terry Westbrook2831 stroke Bobby Cole1972 (Jan) Tienie Britz2821 stroke Simon Hobday1972 (Dec) Bobby Cole (3)2771 stroke Dale HayesVavasseur Natal Open1974 Bobby Cole (4)2841 stroke Tienie Britz1975 John Fourie2811 stroke Hugh Baiocchi David Wren1976Cancelled Sources:
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