Niall Lyons has four picks from 20/1 to 180/1 in this week' South African Open at Stellenbosch.
South African Open
The form book is ripped up this week somewhat as the South African Open heads back to Stellenbosch, a venue familiar only with DPWT viewers of a certain increasing age.
1999 was the last time we saw this venue for this event and although there has been the odd staging of Sunshine Tour events here there is more or less nothing to go on in terms of stats.
What does appear to be a good point to start is that it is over 7200 yards and only a par 70. That suggests a good deal of length off the tee will be beneficial although it is quite narrow in places so spreading it everywhere is not an option.
The stats from a couple of Sunshine tour events suggest that long game is most important and greens in regulation featured high in the winners stats.
South African Open 2026 Tips
- 3pts WIN D.Burmester 20/1 General
- 1pt each-way A.Del Rey 55/1 (1/5 7) Ladbrokes, Coral
- 1pt each-way J.Guerrier 45/1 (1/5 7) Ladbrokes, Coral
- 0.75pt each-way L.Brown 180/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market
Bet365
- Slick, clean interface
- Full suite of safer gambling options including profit/loss
- Market leading all customer offers across all sports
Dean Burmester at 20/1 (WIN)
I definitely want at least one bomber in my staking plan and the vote goes to Dean Burmester. Burmester has equipped himself extremely well on the LIV circuit landing a couple of victories in the last two years.
There is no doubt he can be a little inconsistent also and it's often feast or famine where he is concerned but he is extremely capable and can be expected to win again on the DPWT with more participation.
He won this event back in 2024 at Blair Atholl a venue that definitely did reward a long driver off the tee.
Three of his four DPWT wins have come in his home country and generally he is a difference beast when teeing it up in his homeland. 6th last time out at a very delicate Adelaide event is a really good tune up for this as all parts of the game were tested there.
He was excellent off the tee, ok on approach and had a great week on the greens. I've a sneaky suspicion it will be the longer hitters that dominate this event and Burmester just has to be the one from the top of the market.
Alejandro Del Rey at 55/1 (Seven Places)
Branden Grace is another home grown player who must hold every chance here. However he has shortened a couple of pts since the opening show yesterday with no victory in nearing four years now I'm happy enough to pass over.
I'm taking a bit of a gamble that the longer hitters will get the better of this at Stellenbosch and one who makes the grade is Alejandro Del Rey.
The Spaniard hasn't pulled up any trees of late but is going reasonably well having made 7 of his last 8 cuts in full fields. Iron play has let him down lately but he continues to gain plenty on the field off the tee and if that proves crucial this week then he must arrive with a fair chance.
Any improvement in approach play will see him with plenty of opportunities and we know how dangerous he can be when the 2 components come together.
They did in Ras in January of 2025 when he won on a golf course that is often dominated by the longest in the game.
He has already landed a top 5 in this event at Blair Atholl and if we've landed the profile of the course this week then Del Rey could be a springer in the pack.
BresBet
Julien Guerrier at 45/1 (Seven Places)
If the bombers don't dominate around here and we're not entirely sure as we've little go on with this track, then I want a solid all rounder.
Julien Guerrier fits that bill and having not done an awful lot wrong lately he makes the staking plan. 6th at the Nedbank last December with some bigger names was a fine effort and he continued that form early in 2025 finishing 3rd at Dubai Creek alongside the likes of McIlroy, Puig and Lowry.
He finished in the same position the next week at the Emirates once again finishing ahead of some bigger names like Nicolai Hojgaard, Puig and Olesen.
Bahrain and Qatar have been more sluggish finishes but again he has been solid in most departments of his game.
Should a little more strategy be the gameplay this week then the Frenchman can land a second DPWT victory.
Luke Brown at 180/1 (Eight Places)
It's a strange event where not an awful lot of players made the shortlist but I'll happily take a swipe with Luke Brown at triple figure prices. Brown has only played a handful of DPWT events down the last five years or so but has an ok record with a 12th place in Joburg, and top 25s in this event in 2023 and in the Alfred Dunhill Championship just last December.
There he shot a final round of 66 on the East Course in Johannesburg an recent events suggest he could go well once again.
The South African swing on the Hotel Planner Tour has been in full swing this last month and Brown has been flying with finishes of 5-4-9-3. The most recent of those in Durban is a fine effort and a repeat of that should see him go close to the places here.
It's a tall order to overcome a field of this magnitude but it's not beyond the realms of possibility he becomes a trading proposition given he has been playing in this part of the world for the last month and performing really well.
