Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa's top two amateur golfers and two of the best prospects this country has ever seen, turned professional on Thursday.
"Competing at the highest level in golf has always been my dream and I can't wait to get out there and play," said Schwartzel who is only 18 but has won dozens of tournaments in a short, explosive career - including this year's Indian Amateur and English Amateur strokeplay (for the famous Brabazon Trophy).
"I think I've had a pretty good amateur career but I want to be a pro and move up a level before I get half bored," added the teenage star from Maccauvlei.
The English event was held at the Royal Cinque Ports course in Deal, Kent, in May and Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper heaped praise on the young South African.
"Schwartzel is the real Deal," ran the newspaper's headline above a report which described Schwartzel as "one of the finest young talents in the world. "To beat a field of 120, including Britain's triumphant Walker Cup squad, was a quality performance by a boy who helped South Africa to capture the world junior team championships in Japan last year."
Oosthuizen, now 20, was also in that SA team which won the world juniors, but his biggest achievement to date was winning this year's Irish Amateur strokeplay at Royal Dublin, a bleak, windswept links where skilful shotmaking as opposed to power golf is the recipe for success.
Like Schwartzel, he has been a multiple winner here in South Africa and last year in the Ernie Els Invitational at Fancourt (he has been a member of the Ernie Els Foundation for four years) shot 129 (64-65) for 36 holes.
"Ernie's my hero and having watched him achieve so much, and give me so much through the Foundation, it has always been my dream to try and emulate his success and show my gratitude by playing alongside him one day," said Oosthuizen.
Both have already secured sponsorship deals and will be managed by Mark Bell, head of the South African branch of the International Sports Management Group (ISM).
Head of ISM worldwide is Andrew "Chubby" Chandler who, among others, has Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley in his stable. "But the talents of Charl and Louis are no secret," said Chandler yesterday.
"Both are fantastic prospects and we feel both privileged and excited that they have chosen ISM to represent them.We look forward to helping them realise their ambitions."
Winemakers and luxury game reserve proprietors The Zorgvliet Group have agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with Schwartzel and ISM, while Oosthuizen will represent PriceWaterhouseCoopers on tour, and play Ping equipment.
Schwartzel's next assignment is the second stage of the European Tour's qualifying school in France next week. He plans to play as much of the Sunshine Tour this summer as possible, and the same goes for Oosthuizen who will make his paid ranks debut in the Telkom PGA Championship at Woodhill in Pretoria from November 14-17.
- Gary Player and Retief Goosen will head a star-studded field for the third annual Nelson Mandela Invitational, presented by PricewaterhouseCoopers and hosted by Player, at Pecanwood on November 23 and 24.
The 36-hole tournament features a 32-man field comprising eight fourballs, with each fourball consisting of a senior tour professional and a regular tour professional - who team up for the main event - and a businessman and a celebrity. Last year's winners, Simon Hobday and Martin Maritz, will defend their title while Kapil Dev, one of India's all time cricket legends, is one of the celebrities who will again make an appearance.
- The Audi quattro cup team of Rob Earl and Louis Freese from Pietermaritzburg came third overall in the 32-nation 2002 World Finals on the island of Sardinia last week.
The two women in the SA contingent - Annette Thorold and Isabel Benade from Durban - playing against the men, finished fourth.