Wilco Nienaber

Wilco Nienaber (born 7 April 2000) is a South African professional golfer. He won the 2021 Dimension Data Pro-Am. He plays on the European Tour and is known for his long distance off the tee.

Wilco Nienaber
Personal information
Born (2000-04-07) 7 April 2000
South Africa
Sporting nationality South Africa
ResidenceBloemfontein, South Africa
Career
Turned professional2019
Current tour(s)Sunshine Tour
European Tour
Former tour(s)Challenge Tour
Professional wins1
Number of wins by tour
Sunshine Tour1
Challenge Tour1
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenT68: 2021
The Open ChampionshipDNP

Amateur career

Nienaber won several amateur events in Africa and represented South Africa at the 2018 Eisenhower Trophy in Ireland, where he finished 3 under par individually.[1] He made his European Tour debut as an amateur in December 2018 at the South African Open at Randpark Golf Club, north of Johannesburg, where he opened with two rounds of 69 to make the cut.[2]

His best ranking on the World Amateur Golf Ranking was 28th.[3]

Professional career

Nienaber turned professional in the middle of 2019. His European Tour debut as a professional was made in late November 2019 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek CC, Malelane, South Africa, where he finished tied 24th, earning €14,000.

In February 2020, also in his homeland of South Africa, he came close to his first professional win, finishing runner-up in the Limpopo Championship on the Challenge Tour.

In August 2020, Nienaber recorded his first top-10 on the European Tour; finishing 4th in the Hero Open at Forest of Arden CC, England.[4]

In September 2020, 14 months after turning professional, Nienaber advanced to 270th on the Official World Golf Ranking.[2] In the second round of the Joburg Open in November 2020 at Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nienaber hit his drive on the 597-yard, par-5 4th hole a European Tour season record 439 yards. It was also 16 yards longer than the PGA Tour season record at the time.[5] He eventually finished in second place; two shots behind Joachim B. Hansen, and reached a career best 209th on the Official World Golf Ranking.

In May 2021, Nienaber claimed his first professional victory at the Dimension Data Pro-Am. He beat Henric Sturehed in a playoff[6] and advanced to 135th on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Amateur wins
  • 2017 Northern Cape Amateur Open, Central Gauteng Open Stroke Play
  • 2018 Free State Open, Western Province Amateur Strokeplay
  • 2019 Gauteng North Open, South African Amateur Championship[7]

Source:[3]

Professional wins (1)

Sunshine Tour wins (1)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 9 May 2021 Dimension Data Pro-Am1 −19 (69-64-71-65=269) Playoff Sweden Henric Sturehed

1Co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour

Sunshine Tour playoff record (1–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
1 2021 Dimension Data Pro-Am Sweden Henric Sturehed Won with par on third extra hole

Challenge Tour wins (1)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 9 May 2021 Dimension Data Pro-Am1 −19 (69-64-71-65=269) Playoff Sweden Henric Sturehed

1Co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour

Challenge Tour playoff record (1–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
1 2021 Dimension Data Pro-Am Sweden Henric Sturehed Won with par on third extra hole

Results in major championships
Tournament 202120222023
Masters Tournament
PGA Championship
U.S. Open T68 CUT
The Open Championship
  Did not play

"T" = tied

Results in World Golf Championships
Tournament2021
Championship
Match Play
Invitational 64
Champions NT1

1Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

  Did not play

NT = No tournament

Team appearances

Amateur

References
  1. "31st Eisenhower Trophy". World Amateur Team Championship Ireland 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  2. "Wilco Nienaber". Official World Golf Ranking. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  3. "Wilco Nienaber". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  4. "Wilco Nienaber – Wins and Results". European Tour. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  5. Piastowski, Nick (19 November 2020). "Pro crushes a drive 100 yards past Bryson DeChambeau's average". Golf.com. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  6. "Nienaber continues South Africa's hot streak with Dimension Data victory". European Tour. 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  7. "Albatros Web Services". livescoring.handicaps.co.za. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
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