Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Bezuidenhout won the 2020 edition of the Alfred Dunhill and last year's tournament was not played due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. There are a handful of South Africans populating the top of the pre-tournament odds board but it's Bezuidenhout who takes the top spot, priced 10/1 at most books. Bezuidenhout made four fall starts on the PGA TOUR with nothing better than a T20 at the Shriners but he arrives with back-to-back top 5s, both in South Africa (T5 at the Nedbank and T3 at the Joburg Open). 

The South African pegged it just six times on the DP World circuit last season with last week's Nedbank Challenge being the only one not co-sanctioned by the PGA TOUR. He had played at least 13 events in four straight seasons before that but clearly put his focus Stateside last season. Bezuidenhout racked up more than $2 million on the PGA TOUR circuit last season but dipped from 46th to 74th, year-over-year, in the OWGR. With the next three weeks having events hosted in South Africa, it's possible we'll see Bezuidenhout stick around for a while. He's opened as an 8/1 favorite this week at the Joburg with the next closest in odds being George Coetzee (13/1).

The South African arrived fresh off a team debut at the Presidents Cup where he played just two matches. He's fresh but excited and that showed with four birdies on his first six holes today. Bezuidenhout slowed his pace but would remain steady all day, leading the field in strokes gained tee-to-green by round's end (+5.5). He's typically a golfer that leans heavily on the putter so if he can maintain this level of ball-striking then he'll be hanging around on page one all week. This will be the first time he's posted inside of the top 3 after round one of a PGA TOUR event. Playing his second season in the States, we could see a breakout campaign on the horizon. 

The South African does not have the length off the tee you would like to see at a 7,500-yard layout but he made up for the lack of distance with a hot putter today. Bezuidenhout splashed home seven putts from outside of eight feet including a 24-footer for birdie at the par-4 fourth hole. "Yeah, it really suits my eye off the tee. It doesn't really suit my game because it's a long course." He started the week as a long shot to advance onto East Lake but he's not putting too much pressure on himself this week, "I'm just going to play my game. If I make it, great; if I don't, I'm really pleased with a good rookie season on the PGA TOUR to have made it to this point."