Rhys Enoch is targeting a defence of the SDC Open title when he tees it up at Zebula Golf Estate & Spa this week, as the Road to Mallorca season gets under way in South Africa.
Zebula hosts the first event of the HotelPlanner Tour era, after the travel technology company were announced as the Challenge Tour’s first title partner last week. It also marks the first of four co-sanctioned events with the Sunshine Tour to kick-start a 29-event Road to Mallorca schedule staged across 18 different countries.
Welshman Enoch enjoyed a sensational week on the bushveld layout 12 months ago, securing a second HotelPlanner Tour victory and a first in five years with a two-stroke triumph.
The 36-year-old is back amongst familiar surrounds for the season-opening event, and after ending 2024 43rd on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, has one goal in mind as the new campaign begins.
“It’s always special to be back somewhere you’ve won, especially having done it so recently,” he said. “I feel really good coming into it.
“I had a good rest and some good time off over Christmas. I went to the UK for a few weeks and didn’t touch a club. Since coming back to South Africa, my prep hasn’t been as good as I’d have liked, as it’s been raining quite a lot here, but I think that’s been a good thing.
“I haven’t done too much, and I’ve picked up where I left off last year swing-wise, so I’m in a good space.
“My main goal is to finish in the top three on the Road to Mallorca Rankings to give myself a chance to get into the Rolex Series events next year.”
Enoch carded four rounds of 66 on his way to a 24 under par total last year, but with the rough up and firm greens in Limpopo, expects scoring to be tougher this time around.
“It’s completely different to how we’ve seen it before,” he added. “There’s more rough than ever, more growth throughout the course because of the rain, and despite that, the greens are really firm.
“It’ll be a very different challenge and a bit more patience will be required. Last year, the combination of being in play, putting well, and having a really good mindset helped, so hopefully I can do the same this week. I’m just excited to get going again.”
Enoch joins a strong field at Zebula which includes two other former champions of the event in Frenchman Clément Sordet and South African JJ Senekal, and two-time DP World Tour winner Tom Lewis from England.
Round one of the SDC Open gets under way on Thursday at 6:30am local time with Enoch teeing off alongside home favourite Yurav Premlall and Swede Christofer Blomstrand at 11:40am.
