| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Established | 1960 |
| Course(s) | Wild Coast Sun CC |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,351 yards |
| Tour(s) | Sunshine Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | R1,200,000 |
| Month played | November |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 263 Darren Fichardt (2009) |
| To par | -19 Desvonde Botes (1999) |
| Current champion | |
| Shaun Norris | |
The Nashua Masters, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the Sunshine Tour. It is currently played in November with a prize fund of 1.2 million rand, and since 2001, has been held at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The tournament has its roots in the South African Professional Match Play Championship, the running of which was taken over by the PGA of South Africa in 1957. At the same time the name was changed to the Dunlop Masters, and then three years later the format was changed to stroke play, and the current South African Masters was born.
The first event, at Houghton Golf Club in 1960, was won by Gary Player with an aggregate score of 266, a record that stood for 44 years. Player's total was equalled in 1970 by John Fourie, who remains the only amateur to claim the title. Andrew McLardy posted 264 at the Wild Coast resort in 2004 and Darren Fichardt holds the current mark of 263 set on the par-70 course in 2009.
The South African Masters, along with the South African Open and the South African PGA Championship form the Triple Crown. Winning all three titles in the same season is a feat only achieved by Bobby Locke, Gary Player and Ernie Els.[1]
| Year | Season | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashua Masters | |||
| 2011 | 2011 | Shaun Norris | 271 (-9) |
| 2010 | 2010 | Warren Abery | 267 (-13) |
| 2009 | 2009 | Darren Fichardt | 263 (-17) |
| 2008 | 2008 | Marc Cayeux | 268 (-12) |
| 2007 | 2007 2006–07 |
Jean Hugo | 269 (-11)PO |
| 2006 | 2005–06 | Warren Abery | 265 (-15) |
| 2005 | 2004–05 | Richard Sterne | 269 (-11) |
| 2004 | 2003–04 | Andrew McLardy | 264 (-16) |
| 2002 | 2002–03 | Hennie Otto | 279 (-1) |
| 2002 | 2001–02 | Justin Rose | 265 (-15) |
| Nashua Nedtel Cellular Masters | |||
| 2001 | 2000–01 | Mark McNulty | 274 (-6) |
| South African Masters | |||
| 2000 | 1999–00 | No tournament | |
| 1999 | 1998–99 | Desvonde Botes | 269 (-19) |
| 1998 | 1997–98 | No tournament | |
| San Lameer South African Masters | |||
| 1997 | 1996–97 | Mark McNulty | 276 (-12) |
| 1996 | 1995–96 | Wayne Westner | 280 (-8) |
| Telekom South African Masters | |||
| 1995 | 1994–95 | Scott Dunlap | 279 (-9)PO |
| 1994 | 1993–94 | Chris Davison | 281 (-7) |
| EVS South African Masters | |||
| 1993 | 1992–93 | Tony Johnstone | 275 (-13) |
| 1992 | 1991–92 | Ernie Els | 275 (-13) |
| Twee Jonge Gezellen Masters | |||
| 1990 | Fulton Allem | 276 (-12) | |
| 1989 | Hugh Baiocchi | 281 | |
| Safmarine South African Masters | |||
| 1988 | John Bland | 275 | |
| 1987 | David Frost | 273 | |
| 1986 | Mark McNulty | 270 | |
| 1985 | Mark McNulty | 278 | |
| 1984 | Tony Johnstone | 277 | |
| 1983 | No tournament | ||
| SAB South African Masters | |||
| 1982 | Mark McNulty | 275 | |
| 1981 | Nick Price | 281 (-7) | |
| 1980 | No tournament | ||
| Kronenbrau South African Masters | |||
| 1979 | Gary Player | 270 | |
| 1978 | Dale Hayes | 275 | |
| Dunlop South African Masters | |||
| 1977 | Gary Player | 270 | |
| 1976 | Gary Player | 268 (-12) | |
| 1975* | John Fourie | 199 | |
| 1974 | Gary Player | 270 | |
| 1973 | Gary Player | 268 | |
| 1972 | Gary Player | 267 | |
| 1971 | Gary Player | 269 | |
| 1970 | John Fourie (A) | 266 | |
| 1969 | Bobby Cole | 280 | |
| 1968 | Allan Henning | 278 | |
| 1967 | Gary Player | 279 | |
| 1966 | Cedric Amm | 276 | |
| 1965 | Denis Hutchinson | 281 | |
| 1964 | Gary Player | 285 | |
| 1963 | Bruce Keyter | 291 | |
| 1962 | Denis Hutchinson | 280 | |
| 1961 | Denis Hutchinson | 276 | |
| 1960 | Gary Player | 266 | |
* - Event reduced to 54 holes in 1975[2]
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