Wilco

Nienaber

Finishing runner-up to J.B. Hansen, Nienaber took the lead into the final round of the 2020 Joburg Open. Carding rounds 63-67-67, the South African finished with a 1-under 70 to fall two-strokes off the eventual pace. Sitting at 19-under on the 17th tee, the 21-year-old struggled coming in, making bogey on his final two holes of the tournament, the eventual difference maker. Arriving this season with a mixed bag of form, the 21-year-old has had enough quality results as of late to be worthy of consideration. Making the cut in four of his last five starts on the DP World Tour, Nienaber captured a T-6 finish at the ACCONIA Open de España in early October. He has since taken to the Challenge Tour where he more recently finished in a tie for eighth at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final.

The World No. 143, who also opened with 68, will play out of the fifth-to-last twosome on Saturday with countryman Garrick Higgo. He’s chasing his second worldwide win in the calendar year, joining the Dimension Data Pro-Am five weeks ago, which is a co-sanctioned event by the Challenge Tour and South African Sunshine Tour. The South African also owns three top 10s on the European Tour in 33 events, including a best of runner-up at the 2020 Joburg Open last November, and led that tour in Driving Distance in 2020 (340.7 yards). On nine (of 14) fairways and 12 greens in regulation, he lost 0.090 strokes off-the-tee but gained 2.226 approaching and 2.035 around-the-green. The 21-year-old squared four bogeys at 10, 16 (lost tee ball), 7 (3-putt from 60'9") and 8, camouflaged by five circles at 11, 13, 1, 2 and 9, and a hole-out eagle-2 at 3 from 75'5" away from a waste bunker. He posted 0.856 SG: Putting with 27 total putts, including a par-save at 15 from 14'7", his longest putt made on the lap. At the halfway point, Nienaber ranks 16th in SG: OTT (2.402), 21st in SG: Approach (2.748), 33rd in SG: Around (0.944), 18th in SG: Putting (2.793), and No. 1 in Driving Distance (measured drives) at 361.1 yards. Post-round: “It makes me really excited (being in the mix). I’m really pleased with what I did the last two days. Growing up watching the PGA TOUR, is where I want to be, and it’s really nice to start off like I did.”

The 21-year-old is playing on a sponsor exemption and arrives in South Carolina off a missed cut at the European Tour’s Made in HimmerLand. However, prior to his start in Demark two weeks ago, he made three straight cuts on the Challenge Tour including securing his maiden victory at the Dimension Data Pro-Am in May when he captured his first title in his native South Africa by defeating Sweden’s Henric Sturehed in a three-hole playoff. The victory earned him an exemption into the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational later this year. Nienaber, who earned his first U.S. Open start after leading the 2021 Sunshine Tour’s Order of Merit, is considered a big hitter: At the Joburg Open last November, he hit his drive at the 597-yard fourth hole a whopping 439 yards and finished solo second. On the season, Nienaber is 3-for-7 on the Euro Tour and 3-for-4 in Challenge Tour events.

The 21-year-old Nienaber captured his first title in his native South Africa by defeating Sweden’s Henric Sturehed in a three-hole playoff. The pair were tied on 19 under after 72 holes at Fancourt Golf Estate, and Nienaber triumphed with a par on the third extra trip up the 18th hole. Nienaber fired a 7-under 65, making birdie on the last hole to force the playoff. The victory earned him an exemption into the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational later this year. “I’m really excited,” he said afterward. “I definitely forgot how it felt to win. I’m a little bit emotional, but I just know it’s the hard work I put in. … I wanted to win this event and I’ve done so. It was a little tougher than I wanted it to be, but I pulled it through in the end.” Nienaber is known to be a big hitter: At the Joburg Open last November, he hit his drive at the 597-yard fourth hole a whopping 439 yards and finished solo second. On the season, Nienaber is 3-for-6 on the Euro Tour and 3-for-4 in Challenge Tour events.

The young South African has made some waves this year with trio of finishes that were T6 or better, including last week’s runner-up finish at the Joburg Open. The other two big finishes were a solo 4th at the English Championship and T6 at the Andalucia Masters, both after the restart. It’s positioned him at 62nd in the Race to Dubai. The 20-year-old found himself leading after 54 holes last week then settled for 70 on Sunday. Prior to the round he had this to say, “The final round is going to be great. It will be the first time I’m in that situation and I’m just going to embrace it and enjoy it.” Nienaber didn’t come away with a with at Randpark but surely learned a thing or two about playing with a lead on Sunday. He made headlines last week with his 450-yard (altitude-aided) drives but he’s proven he can reign it and perform on a tighter track. That is evidenced by his T24 at this event in late 2019 and the beforementioned T6 at Valderrama.