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Joburg Open: How Wilco hits it so far

by | Nov 24, 2021

So what is it that enables 21-year-old South African Wilco Nienaber to drive a golf ball further than anyone else in world professional golf, with the exception perhaps of American Bryson DeChambeau with whom he’s pretty much neck-and-neck in the 400-yard-plus category?

Let’s ask his father Willem. “People have their theories but I know Wilco better than anyone and I think one of the main reasons is that growing up he excelled in all sports – and I mean really excelled – and developed to a high level the muscles needed for all those sports, rugby, cricket, tennis, athletics, whatever, so he’s got a strong all-round physique,” said Willem during Tuesday’s Joburg Open pro-am at Randpark, ahead of Thursday’s main event in which Wilco finished second 12 months ago, and bombed that now-famous 439-yard tee-shot at the Firethorn course’s par-5 fourth hole.

Willem Nienaber, himself a fine sportsman who played provincial golf for Border for 17 years, says Wilco loved golf right from the start of his young life. “I mean, when he was still pretty much just out of nappies he’d come with me to the range and he learnt to tee my ball up for me. I bought him a set of Little Tiger clubs when he was three and cut them down to size for him – five-iron, seven-iron, nine-iron, three-wood and putter. He loved those clubs and with them at age four, played 18 holes all by himself for the first time at Mossel Bay.

“I’m serious when I say I think Wilco could have been a Springbok in quite a few sports. He was a brilliant flyhalf, a top tennis player, a really fast bowler and at Grey College, he broke a hurdles record. He always seems to have a ball in his hands. We were in Sportmans Warehouse the other day and, typical of him, he’d pick up a rugby ball and throw it up and down, really getting the feel of it, or swing a tennis racket, or whatever.”

So he loved all sports, but Wilco chose golf, went on to become South Africa’s No 1 amateur and is now making an impact in the paid ranks – like winning this year’s Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt, and posting some solid rounds in Europe.

His extraordinary ability to hit a golf ball for miles might, of course, have something to do with good genes as Willem Nienaber, although now 53, has a little of that prize-fighter look about him and, clearly, is still a really strong guy.

“Genes could be a factor for sure, but there’s no doubt Wilco has incredible natural ability,” says coach Quintin Williams who runs an academy at Bloemfontein Golf Club and who has coached Wilco since he was 13 and already down to a scratch handicap. “It’s not only golf. Wilco is one of those guys who can throw a ball further than anyone else, kick a rugby ball further than anyone else, or serve a tennis ball faster than anyone else. But, ability aside, people need to know he’s a really humble guy. He’s modest, has time for everyone and, at my academy, if I ask him to play nine holes with one of my juniors there’s no question he’ll do it.”

The Nienaber family – dad Willem, mom Lara, and Wilco’s sisters Nadine and Rachel – as a whole are crazy about sport and very supportive of each other. “Both my parents, as well as Rachel, will be watching the golf this week for the first time since the start of Covid so it’s going to be a very special time for me,” smiles the tall big-hitter.

“I’m so grateful to my dad for getting me into golf. If it wasn’t for him I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Wilco learnt much of his golf in his early days at Aliwal North Golf Club, which Willem says, in spite of it being in an arid part of the country, has a superb nine-hole course. “We’ve lived there and in Bloemfontein and when Wilco was between eight and ten we’d drive up to Joburg sometimes twice a month to enable him to play in Little Kids tournaments. We’d leave Aliwal North at 2 o’clock in the morning, get to Joburg, he’d play 18 holes, and then we’d drive back and get home late at night.” A round trip of about 1,200km and a round of golf all in one day. Now that’s commitment!

One of Wilco’s pro-am partners on Tuesday was Sunshine Tour Executive Director Selwyn Nathan. A  tour pro in his day,  Nathan is 71 but still hitting the ball a long way for his age. A couple of months back he shot 68 at Killarney to comfortably break his age. Good golf at 71? No problem for “Nate”.

Written by Randpark member Grant Winter

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