- South African golfer Jaco Ahlers is raring to go as the Sunshine Tour's Rise-Up Series gets underway.
- The Betway Championship is set to take place at Killarney Country Club with 107 golfers in the field.
- Ahlers is concerned about not being battle-mode ready after a five-month hiatus due to the coronavirus.
Professional golf is back in South Africa as the Sunshine Tour's new Rise-Up Series starts at Killarney Country Club on Wednesday.
It's the first of five Rise-Up Series events to take place in Gauteng despite the province being the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa.
All golfers, caddies and staff on the Sunshine Tour will play according to the GolfRSA's Covid-19 Risk Mitigation Strategy, which has been approved by government.
EXPLAINER | Sunshine Tour's return to action rules and regulations
As South Africa moves to Level 2 of the nationwide lockdown, this week there will be 107 golfers in the field vying for a prize fund of R600 000.
Speaking to Sport24 on Monday, nine-time Sunshine Tour winner Jaco Ahlers acknowledged that he feels safe enough to compete.
"I think the tour has done a lot to try and keep us safe. The protocols have been good and the measures the Sunshine Tour have taken, I think it's safe enough for us to compete. The only thing is that the competitors and caddies need to do their part and keep safe and then I think all of us will be fine," he said.
The Sunshine Tour revealed that players, caddies and staff will not live in a "bubble" as is the case with other sports.
The Tour will also not be testing any players, caddies or staff but will be screening them every morning as they enter the golf course.
Before this week's resumption, all players were requited to undergo a screening test at least two weeks prior to the tournament. This guideline, done through the HealthDocs App, is compulsory for all events.
"It's easy and painless, you anyway get checked when you go into a shop or golf course, they take your temperature, you fill in a form but it's just on an App," said Ahlers.
"Every morning, you get up and have your coffee and then take your temperature, you log your symptoms and that's it."
The last Sunshine Tour event was in February at the 2019/20 season-ending Tour Championship.
Ahlers hopes that he can get back into battle-readiness mode come Wednesday.
"This is the longest I've gone without playing competitively, my last tournament was 17 March so that's five months ago," said Ahlers.
"It's tough, I mean we play at home and with friends and get some money going but it's not the same if you play tournaments. Your thinking is different, your shot-making is different on a golf course. You're not trying all the shots that you normally do when you play at home.
"I've been worrying about this the last few days, trying to get myself ready mentally to play but hopefully it's like riding a bike, you get on the first tee and it all comes back."
It's been a long wait for Sunshine Tour fans and golfers as the Tour had to grapple with the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in South Africa and around the world.
The Tour had to abandon its African swing, which usually took place in South Africa's winter. The Rise-Up Series is five brand new events that the Sunshine Tour planned to get the season back underway.
Ahlers reiterated that it's been a tough few months but applauded the Sunshine Tour for all the work that's been done.
"Most of the Sunshine Tour winter events have been either cancelled or postponed for next year... It's not looking like any other schedule we've had, unfortunately, we can't travel out of the country so the African events like Kenya and Swaziland won't happen.
"It's not close to what we are used to, but kudos to the Sunshine Tour for making it happen."
The last three hours of the final round of the Betway Championship will be broadcast live on DStv Now and the Sunshine Tour social platforms.