Charl Schwartzel

Charl Schwartzel - the teenage sensation
Charl Schwartzel has already been dubbed the teenager who has everything by ISM colleague Darren Clarke. More and more people are quickly realising it was no ill-considered appraisal.

Schwartzel, who earned his playing rights on the European Tour at last year’s dreaded Tour School, showed at the weekend just why those who have seen him play believe he is a superstar in the making.

The 18-year-old recovered from an inauspicious start in the South African Airways Open to finish an outstanding third behind first-time winner Trevor Immelman at Erinvale.
Schwartzel was in danger of missing the cut after his opening effort, but recovered in the second with a 69… and things just got better and better.
He followed a third round 68 with a stunning best-of-the-day 65 for an aggregate 11 under par, just three shots back.

“Nobody more than Charl himself is aware just how far he has to go to establish himself on the European Tour, but this was a superb start,” said ISM chief Chubby Chandler. “He showed great composure for somebody with so little experience and there is no doubt he can achieve whatever he has the will and desire to.

Home players filled the first seven places as Immelman secured his debut triumph at the first extra hole of a sudden death play-off with defending champion Tim Clark.

Schwartzel was not the only ISM player to impress on his first outing of 2003. Andrew Coltart produced the kind of consistency that was missing for much of last season with three sub-70 rounds in a 10 under total that was good enough for eighth place.

David Howell was never over par in finishing 14th while another of our South African contingent, Richard Sterne, went from two over at the half-way stage to six under at the finish to end inside the top 25.
“No fewer than 12 of our players played all four rounds and that augurs well not only for this week, but also for the rest of the season,” added Chandler. “The greater the competition there is within the stable the better it will be for everybody”.

by Martin Hardy on behalf of ISM