Jarvis refocuses on Joburg Open challenge

Casey Jarvis. Sunshine Tour

Casey Jarvis will do his best to reset for their week’s Joburg Open, having arrived home to see the pin flags of both The Masters and The Open at his house as a reminder of what he has achieved in recent weeks.

His back-to-back victories in the Magical Kenya Open and Investec South African Open lifted him to 80th on the Official World Golf Ranking – the highest of his career – third on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings, second on The Courier Guy Order of Merit on the Sunshine Tour and with exemptions into the upcoming Masters and Open to look forward to.

This week he returns to a Joburg Open where he finished ninth in 2022 and hoping to join an exclusive club that includes giants of the game such as Seve Ballesteros and Sir Nick Faldo who have claimed three successive victories on the DP World Tour. Ballesteros achieved this in 1986 and Faldo in 1983.

“That would be crazy. I’ll definitely go for it. To have my name up there with theirs would be unreal,” said Jarvis, who still cannot believe how his career – and life – has changed.

“I got home on Monday and to see The Masters pin flag and The Open pin flag was truly unreal. It’s crazy that I’m going to The Masters. To have won my home Open is a dream come true.”

But he is well aware of the challenge he faces again this week at Houghton Golf Club.

“The Joburg Open was one of those I’ve wanted to win. It would be nice to be in contention for it but as always, everybody starts again at level par this week. It’s been two long weeks for me mentally but I’m going to give it my all and hopefully it turns out well. I’ll keep my expectations very low. There are so many good players here like Patrick Reed and Jayden Schaper, so I know it will be a long hard battle. Houghton is a tricky little, short golf course with very slopey greens. Your iron play has to be spot on this week and your putting as well if you want to compete.”