The South African Open is the biggest South African golf tournaments on the schedule, with the event having been conducted since 1903.
The event, which is one of the top events in South Africa, is considered one of the biggest tournaments in golf because it is one of the oldest national championships.
The tournament has not been continuously conducted since 1903. The tournament was not played during World War I and World War II, and there have been years where there were two South African Opens played and led to there not being another the following year.
Gary Player holds the record for the most South African Open wins with 13. Bobby Locke is next best on the list with nine wins. Sid Brews has eight wins.
The South African Open has seen an increase in prestige in recent years.
South African Open format
South African Open is played over four days, and there is a cut for the qualifying field.
The field, which is 156 players, is reduced to the top 65 players and ties for the final two rounds of the event. At the end of the 72-hole event, the lowest score wins. In the event of a sudden-death playoff is conducted to determine a winner.
Most frequent South African Open hosts
- Durban Country Club: 18
South African Open past sponsors
South African Open has had a singular name over the years:
- 2022: Investec South African Open Championship
- 2018-2020: BP South African Open
- 2015-2018: BMW SA Open
- 2011-2012, 2021: SA Open Championship
- 2003-2007: South African Airways Open
- 2002: Bell's South African Open
- 2000-2001: Mercedes-Benz South African Open
- 1999: Mercedes-Benz-Vodacom South African Open
- 1995-1996: Phillips South African Open
- 1989-1992: Protea Assurance South African Open
- 1986-1988: Southern Suns South African Open Championship
- 1983-1985: South African Open Championship
- 1903-1974, 1997-1998: South African Open
- 1980-1981: Datson South African Open
- 1979: British Airways/Yellow Pages South African Open
- 1976-1978: Yellow Pages South African Open
- 1975-1976: BP South African Open
- 1903-1974, 2008-2010, 2013-2015: South African Open Championship
South African Open history & results
| YEAR | WINNER | TOT | TO PAR | BY | HOST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Daniel van Tonder | 272 | −16 | 1 | Gary Player |
| 2020 (Dec) | Christiaan Bezuidenhout | 270 | −18 | 5 | Gary Player |
| 2020 (Jan) | Branden Grace | 263 | −21 | 3 | Randpark |
| 2019 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2018 (Dec) | Louis Oosthuizen | 266 | −18 | 6 | Randpark |
| 2018 (Jan) | Chris Paisley | 267 | −21 | 3 | Glendower |
| 2017 | Graeme Storm | 270 | −18 | PO | Glendower |
| 2016 | Brandon Stone | 274 | −14 | 2 | Glendower |
| 2015 | Andy Sullivan | 277 | −11 | PO | Glendower |
| 2014 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2013 | Morten Ørum Madsen | 269 | −19 | 2 | Glendower |
| 2012 | Henrik Stenson | 271 | −17 | 3 | Serengeti |
| 2011 | Hennie Otto | 274 | −14 | 1 | Serengeti |
| 2010 | Ernie Els (5) | 263[e] | −25[e] | 1 | Durban |
| 2009 | Richie Ramsay | 275 | −13 | PO | Pearl Valley |
| 2008 | Richard Sterne | 274 | −14 | PO | Pearl Valley |
| 2007 | James Kingston | 284 | −4 | 1 | Pearl Valley |
| 2006 | Ernie Els (4) | 264 | −24 | 3 | Humewood |
| 2005 (Dec) | Retief Goosen (2) | 282 | −10 | 1 | Fancourt |
| 2005 (Jan) | Tim Clark (2) | 273 | −15 | 6 | Durban |
| 2004 | Trevor Immelman (2) | 276 | −12 | 3 | Erinvale |
| 2003 | Trevor Immelman | 274 | −14 | PO | Erinvale |
| 2002 | Tim Clark | 269 | −19 | 2 | The Country Club |
| 2001 | Mark McNulty (2) | 280 | −8 | 1 | East London |
| 2000 | Mathias Grönberg | 274 | −14 | 1 | Randpark |
| 1999 | David Frost (2) | 279 | −5 | 1 | Stellenbosch |
| 1998 | Ernie Els (3) | 273 | −15 | 3 | Durban |
| 1997 | Vijay Singh | 270 | −18 | 1 | Glendower |
| 1996 | Ernie Els (2) | 275 | −13 | 1 | Royal Cape |
| 1995 | Retief Goosen | 275 | −13 | 5 | Randpark |
| 1993 (Dec) | Tony Johnstone (2) | 267 | −21 | 7 | Durban |
| 1993 (Feb) | Clinton Whitelaw | 279 | −9 | 2 | Glendower |
| 1992 | Ernie Els | 273 | −15 | 3 | Houghton |
| 1991 | Wayne Westner (2) | 272 | −16 | 4 | Durban |
| 1990 | Trevor Dodds | 285 | −3 | 1 | Royal Cape |
| 1989 | Fred Wadsworth | 278 | −10 | 1 | Glendower |
| 1988 | Wayne Westner | 275 | −13 | 2 | Durban |
| 1987 | Mark McNulty | 278 | −10 | PO | Mowbray |
| 1986 | David Frost | 275 | −13 | 3 | Royal Johannesburg |
| 1985 | Gavan Levenson | 280 | −8 | 3 | Royal Durban |
| 1984 | Tony Johnstone | 274 | −14 | 3 | Houghton |
| 1983 | Charlie Bolling | 278 | −10 | 1 | Royal Cape |
| 1982 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1981 | Gary Player (13) | 272 | −16 | PO | Royal Johannesburg |
| 1980 | Bobby Cole (2) | 279 | −9 | 4 | Durban |
| 1979 | Gary Player (12) | 279 | −9 | 1 | Houghton |
| 1978 | Hugh Baiocchi | 285 | −3 | 1 | Mowbray |
| 1977 | Gary Player (11) | 273 | −15 | 3 | Royal Johannesburg |
| 1976 (Nov) | Gary Player (10) | 280 | −8 | 6 | Durban |
| 1976 (Feb) | Dale Hayes | 287 | −1 | PO | Houghton |
| 1975 | Gary Player (9) | 278 | −10 | 6 | Mowbray |
| 1974 | Bobby Cole | 272 | −16 | 4 | Royal Johannesburg |
| 1973 | Bob Charles | 282 | −6 | 3 | Durban |
| 1972 | Gary Player (8) | 274 | −18 | 1 | Royal Johannesburg |
| 1971 | Simon Hobday | 276 | −12 | 1 | Mowbray |
| 1970 | Tommy Horton | 285 | N/A | 3 | Royal Durban |
| 1969 | Gary Player (7) | 273 | N/A | 6 | Durban |
| 1968 | Gary Player (6) | 274 | N/A | 7 | Houghton |
| 1967 | Gary Player (5) | 279 | N/A | 3 | East London |
| 1966 | Gary Player (4) | 278 | N/A | 1 | Houghton |
| 1963 (Dec) | Allan Henning | 278 | N/A | 2 | Bloemfontein |
| 1963 (Mar) | Retief Waltman (2) | 281 | N/A | 1 | Durban |
| 1962 | Harold Henning (2) | 285 | N/A | 1 | Houghton |
| 1961 | Retief Waltman | 289 | N/A | 8 | East London |
| 1960 | Gary Player (2) | 280 | N/A | 7 | Mowbray |
| 1959 | Denis Hutchinson (a) | 282 | N/A | 1 | Royal Johannesburg |
| 1958 | Arthur Stewart | 281 | N/A | 1 | Bloemfontein |
| 1957 | Harold Henning | 289 | N/A | PO | Humewood |
| 1956 | Gary Player | 286 | N/A | 3 | Durban |
| 1955 | Bobby Locke (9) | 283 | N/A | 1 | Zwartkop |
| 1954 | Reg Taylor (a) | 289 | N/A | 2 | East London |
| 1953 | Jimmy Boyd | 302 | N/A | PO | Royal Cape |
| 1952 | Sid Brews (8) | 305 | N/A | 1 | Humewood |
| 1951 | Bobby Locke (8) | 277 | N/A | 9 | Houghton |
| 1950 | Bobby Locke (7) | 280 | N/A | 11 | Durban |
| 1949 | Sid Brews (7) | 291 | N/A | 3 | Maccauvlei |
| 1948 | Mickey Janks (a) | 298 | N/A | PO | East London |
| 1947 | Ronnie Glennie (a) | 293 | N/A | 1 | Mowbray |
| 1946 | Bobby Locke (6) | 285 | N/A | 14 | Royal Johannesburg |
| 1945 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1944 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1943 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1942 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1941 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1940 | Bobby Locke (5) | 293 | N/A | 10 | Port Elizabeth |
| 1939 | Bobby Locke (4) | 279 | N/A | 8 | Durban |
| 1938 | Bobby Locke (3) | 279 | N/A | 5 | Maccauvlei |
| 1937 | Bobby Locke (a) (2) | 288 | N/A | 11 | East London |
| 1936 | Clarence Olander (a) | 297 | N/A | PO | Royal Cape |
| 1935 | Bobby Locke (a) | 296 | N/A | 3 | Parkview |
| 1934 | Sid Brews (6) | 319 | N/A | 7 | Humewood |
| 1933 | Sid Brews (5) | 297 | N/A | 3 | Maccauvlei |
| 1932 | Charles McIlvenny | 304 | N/A | 4 | Mowbray |
| 1931 | Sid Brews (4) | 302 | N/A | 3 | Port Elizabeth |
| 1930 | Sid Brews (3) | 297 | N/A | 11 | East London |
| 1929 | Archie Tosh | 315 | N/A | 1 | Royal Cape |
| 1928 | Jock Brews (4) | 297 | N/A | 1 | Durban |
| 1927 | Sid Brews (2) | 301 | N/A | 5 | Maccauvlei |
| 1926 | Jock Brews (3) | 301 | N/A | 9 | Port Elizabeth |
| 1925 | Sid Brews | 295 | N/A | 3 | Johannesburg |
| 1924 | Bert Elkin | 316 | N/A | 9 | Durban |
| 1923 | Jock Brews (2) | 315 | N/A | 1 | Royal Cape |
| 1922 | Fred Jangle | 310 | N/A | 7 | Port Alfred |
| 1921 | Jock Brews | 316 | N/A | 3 | Port Elizabeth |
| 1920 | Laurie Waters (4) | 302 | N/A | 2 | Johannesburg |
| 1919 | William Horne | 320 | N/A | 9 | Durban |
| 1918 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1917 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1916 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1915 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1914 | George Fotheringham (5) | 299 | N/A | 20 | Royal Cape |
| 1913 | Jimmy Prentice (a) | 304 | N/A | 2 | Kimberley |
| 1912 | George Fotheringham (4) | 305 | N/A | 10 | Potchefstroom |
| 1911 | George Fotheringham (3) | 301 | N/A | 11 | Durban |
| 1910 | George Fotheringham (2) | 315 | N/A | 5 | Royal Cape |
| 1909 | Jack Fotheringham | 306 | N/A | 2 | Potchefstroom |
| 1908 | George Fotheringham | 294 | N/A | 9 | Port Elizabeth |
| 1907 | Laurie Waters (3) | 147[p] | N/A | 5 | Kimberley |
| 1906 | Arthur Gray (2) | 151 | N/A | 3 | East London |
| 1905 | Arthur Gray | Unknown | N/A | PO | Garrison Club |
| 1904 | Laurie Waters (2) | 143 | N/A | 4 | Johannesburg |
| 1903 | Laurie Waters | 163 | N/A | 3 | Port Elizabeth |
