Louis Oosthuizen
Encyclopedia
Lodewicus Theodorus "Louis" Oosthuizen (ˈlu.i ˈoəst.ɦœjzən, which he pronounced for the American audience in this TV ad; born 1982) is a South African professional golfer
, who won the 2010 Open Championship
.
, South Africa. His early career was supported financially for three years by the foundation of fellow South African Ernie Els
. He won numerous amateur titles before turning professional in 2002 at the age of 19.
He has won five professional tournaments on the Sunshine Tour
: the 2004 Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour
event at Arabella, the 2007 Dimension Data Pro-Am
and Platinum Classic
, and the Telkom PGA Championship
twice, in 2007 and 2008. He played on the European Challenge Tour
in 2003 and has been a member of the European Tour since 2004. In 2009, he finished 31st on the Race to Dubai. He has featured in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings
.
In March 2010, he won his first European Tour event at the Open de Andalucia de Golf. He also won the 2010 Masters
Par 3 Contest.
at St Andrews
ranked 54th in the Official World Golf Rankings
, and only having made one cut in eight major championship
appearances. He shot a 65 on the first day, placing him in second place, behind a 63 shot by Rory McIlroy
.
Oosthuizen's 67 on Friday was the low round of the day and gave him a lead that he would not relinquish throughout the final two rounds. His two-day total of 132 tied the record for the lowest 36-hole score in an Open Championship
at St Andrews. A 69 on Saturday placed Oosthuizen at 15-under-par, and four shots clear of second-place Paul Casey
with one round to play.
On Sunday, Casey closed the gap to three shots on the 8th hole, before Oosthuizen drove the 9th green and made a long putt for eagle. On the 12th hole, Oosthuizen made birdie, while Casey hit his drive into a gorse
bush, and wound up making triple bogey to give Oosthuizen an eight-shot lead. In the end, Oosthuizen shot 71 on Sunday, and 16-under-par 272 for the championship, to win by seven strokes. His 272 was the second lowest in St Andrews history. Casey eventually finished third with Lee Westwood
taking second.
Oosthuizen became the fourth man from South Africa to win the Claret Jug – following Bobby Locke
, Gary Player
, and Ernie Els
– and moved to 15th in the Official World Golf Rankings, leapfrogging fellow South African Retief Goosen
in 16th position.
Oosthuizen claims his exemplary focus during the tournament, which enabled him to win by a wide margin, was due to a red spot marked on his glove, designed to act as his trigger, in the same way that the referee's whistle concentrates a player's mind in football. He would look at that spot as the beginning of his pre-shot routine and use it as his whistle, remaining totally focused and relaxed before every shot. Oosthuizen had consulted Karl Morris, a Manchester
-based sports psychologist, prior to the event for ways in which he could improve his concentration.
in a playoff.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
Professional
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
, who won the 2010 Open Championship
2010 Open Championship
The 2010 Open Championship was the 139th Open Championship, the oldest of golf's four majors, and was played from 15–18 July over the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was celebrated as the 150th anniversary of the founding of The Open in 1860...
.
Early life and career
Oosthuizen was born in Mossel BayMossel Bay
Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...
, South Africa. His early career was supported financially for three years by the foundation of fellow South African Ernie Els
Ernie Els
Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing...
. He won numerous amateur titles before turning professional in 2002 at the age of 19.
He has won five professional tournaments on the Sunshine Tour
Sunshine Tour
The Sunshine Tour is a men's professional golf tour based in Southern Africa. For much of its history it was known either as the South African Tour or the FNB Tour, but it rebranded itself in an attempt to broaden its appeal...
: the 2004 Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour
Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour
The Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour is a series of pro-am golf tournaments in South Africa. The series began in 2004 and forms part of the winter swing of the Southern Africa based Sunshine Tour.-Tournament winners:...
event at Arabella, the 2007 Dimension Data Pro-Am
Dimension Data Pro-Am
The Dimension Data Pro-Am is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the Southern African Sunshine Tour. It was played in 2009 at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa, with a prize fund in 2008 of 1.8 million rand. In 2011, the tournament will be played from February 17-20...
and Platinum Classic
Platinum Classic
The Platinum Classic is a golf tournament on the Sunshine Tour. It was founded in 1995, and is played at the nine hole Mooinooi Golf Club, North West Province, South Africa, although the first event had to be moved to Rustenburg when the greens at Mooinooi were vandalised.The tournament is...
, and the Telkom PGA Championship
South African PGA Championship
The Telkom PGA Championship, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the Sunshine Tour...
twice, in 2007 and 2008. He played on the European Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour
The Challenge Tour is the second tier men's professional golf tour in Europe. It is operated by the PGA European Tour and as with on the main European Tour and the European Seniors Tour, some of the events are played outside of Europe...
in 2003 and has been a member of the European Tour since 2004. In 2009, he finished 31st on the Race to Dubai. He has featured in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
.
In March 2010, he won his first European Tour event at the Open de Andalucia de Golf. He also won the 2010 Masters
2010 Masters Tournament
The 2010 Masters Tournament, played April 8–11 at Augusta National Golf Club, was the 74th Masters Tournament. This was the first major championship of the 2010 season.Phil Mickelson won his third Masters title by three shots over runner-up Lee Westwood....
Par 3 Contest.
2010 Open Championship
Oosthuizen entered the 2010 Open Championship2010 Open Championship
The 2010 Open Championship was the 139th Open Championship, the oldest of golf's four majors, and was played from 15–18 July over the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was celebrated as the 150th anniversary of the founding of The Open in 1860...
at St Andrews
Old Course at St Andrews
The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world. The Old Course is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by The St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament...
ranked 54th in the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
, and only having made one cut in eight major championship
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
appearances. He shot a 65 on the first day, placing him in second place, behind a 63 shot by Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is a Northern Irish professional golfer from Holywood in County Down. He has represented Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Ireland as both an amateur and a professional. He had a successful amateur career, topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007...
.
Oosthuizen's 67 on Friday was the low round of the day and gave him a lead that he would not relinquish throughout the final two rounds. His two-day total of 132 tied the record for the lowest 36-hole score in an Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
at St Andrews. A 69 on Saturday placed Oosthuizen at 15-under-par, and four shots clear of second-place Paul Casey
Paul Casey
Paul Alexander Casey is an English golfer who is a member of the world's top two professional golf tours, the U.S.-based PGA Tour and the European Tour. In 2009 he achieved his highest position, third, in the Official World Golf Rankings....
with one round to play.
On Sunday, Casey closed the gap to three shots on the 8th hole, before Oosthuizen drove the 9th green and made a long putt for eagle. On the 12th hole, Oosthuizen made birdie, while Casey hit his drive into a gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
bush, and wound up making triple bogey to give Oosthuizen an eight-shot lead. In the end, Oosthuizen shot 71 on Sunday, and 16-under-par 272 for the championship, to win by seven strokes. His 272 was the second lowest in St Andrews history. Casey eventually finished third with Lee Westwood
Lee Westwood
Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons...
taking second.
Oosthuizen became the fourth man from South Africa to win the Claret Jug – following Bobby Locke
Bobby Locke
Arthur D'Arcy "Bobby" Locke was the first internationally successful South African professional golfer. He won four Open Championships.-Early years:...
, Gary Player
Gary Player
Gary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six...
, and Ernie Els
Ernie Els
Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing...
– and moved to 15th in the Official World Golf Rankings, leapfrogging fellow South African Retief Goosen
Retief Goosen
Retief Goosen is a South African professional golfer who has been in the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for over 250 weeks between 2001 and 2007. His main achievements have been two U.S...
in 16th position.
Oosthuizen claims his exemplary focus during the tournament, which enabled him to win by a wide margin, was due to a red spot marked on his glove, designed to act as his trigger, in the same way that the referee's whistle concentrates a player's mind in football. He would look at that spot as the beginning of his pre-shot routine and use it as his whistle, remaining totally focused and relaxed before every shot. Oosthuizen had consulted Karl Morris, a Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
-based sports psychologist, prior to the event for ways in which he could improve his concentration.
Subsequent career
Oosthuizen finished the 2010 season in 10th place on the Race to Dubai, posting three further top-10s after his major win. In January 2011, he claimed his third European Tour title, and his sixth in his home country, winning the Africa OpenAfrica Open
The Africa Open is a golf tournament on the Sunshine Tour that was first contested in February 2008, over the Gary Player designed championship course at the Fish River Sun Country Club, near Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa....
in a playoff.
Amateur wins (6)
- 2000 World Junior Championship
- 2001 All African Games (Kenya), Transvaal Amateur Stroke Play Championship (South Africa)
- 2002 Indian Amateur Open Championship (tied), Irish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship, Natal Open Stroke Play Championship (South Africa)
Professional wins (8)
European Tour wins (3)
EWLINE
|
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 Mar 2010 2010 European Tour The 2010 European Tour is the second edition of the Race to Dubai and the 39th season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972.... |
Open de Andalucia de Golf | 3 strokes |  Richard FinchRichard Finch (golfer) Richard Finch is an English professional golfer.Finch is currently a member of the European Tour. He has been a member since 2005. Finch earned his card through Qualifying School in 2004... ,  Peter WhitefordPeter Whiteford Peter William Whiteford is a Scottish professional golfer.Whiteford was born in Kirkcaldy. He turned professional in 2002.... |
|
| 2 | 18 Jul 2010 | The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
7 strokes | Lee Westwood Lee Westwood Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons... |
|
| 3 | 9 Jan 2011 2011 European Tour The 2011 European Tour will be the third edition of the Race to Dubai and the 40th season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972.-Schedule:... |
Africa Open Africa Open The Africa Open is a golf tournament on the Sunshine Tour that was first contested in February 2008, over the Gary Player designed championship course at the Fish River Sun Country Club, near Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa.... (co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour) |
Playoff |  Manuel Quirós, Chris WoodChris Wood (golfer) Christopher James Wood is an English professional golfer who currently plays on the European Tour. He was the low amateur in the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale and tied for third in the following year's tournament held at Turnberry.-Amateur career:Wood was born in Bristol, England... |
Sunshine Tour wins (6)
- 2004 Vodacom Origins of Golf TourVodacom Origins of Golf TourThe Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour is a series of pro-am golf tournaments in South Africa. The series began in 2004 and forms part of the winter swing of the Southern Africa based Sunshine Tour.-Tournament winners:...
at Arabella - 2007 Dimension Data Pro-AmDimension Data Pro-AmThe Dimension Data Pro-Am is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the Southern African Sunshine Tour. It was played in 2009 at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa, with a prize fund in 2008 of 1.8 million rand. In 2011, the tournament will be played from February 17-20...
, Telkom PGA ChampionshipSouth African PGA ChampionshipThe Telkom PGA Championship, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the Sunshine Tour...
, Platinum ClassicPlatinum ClassicThe Platinum Classic is a golf tournament on the Sunshine Tour. It was founded in 1995, and is played at the nine hole Mooinooi Golf Club, North West Province, South Africa, although the first event had to be moved to Rustenburg when the greens at Mooinooi were vandalised.The tournament is... - 2008 Telkom PGA ChampionshipSouth African PGA ChampionshipThe Telkom PGA Championship, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the Sunshine Tour...
- 2011 Africa OpenAfrica OpenThe Africa Open is a golf tournament on the Sunshine Tour that was first contested in February 2008, over the Gary Player designed championship course at the Fish River Sun Country Club, near Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa....
(co-sanctioned with the European Tour)
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 2010 Open Championship The 2010 Open Championship was the 139th Open Championship, the oldest of golf's four majors, and was played from 15–18 July over the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was celebrated as the 150th anniversary of the founding of The Open in 1860... |
The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
4 shot lead | −16 (65–67–69–71=272) | 7 strokes | Lee Westwood Lee Westwood Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons... |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | T9 |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
CUT | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | CUT | 1 | T54 |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 73 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Results in World Golf Championship events
| Tournament | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
| CA Championship WGC-CA Championship The WGC-Cadillac Championship is one of the four annual World Golf Championships tournaments for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
T32 | T50 | T68 |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
R64 | R64 | DNP |
| Cadillac Championship | T20 | T18 | DNP |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
DNP | T9 2010 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The 2010 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is a golf tournament that was contested from August 5–8, 2010 over the South Course at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio... |
T37 |
| HSBC Champions | DNP | T72 | T7 2011 WGC-HSBC Champions The 2011 WGC-HSBC Champions was a golf tournament played from November 3–6, 2011 at the Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, China. It was the third WGC-HSBC Champions tournament, and the fourth of four World Golf Championships events held in 2011... |
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
Team appearances
Amateur- Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
(representing South Africa): 2002
Professional
- World Cup (representing South Africa): 2011