Oosthuizen: all you needed to know

I think we’d all be lying if we said we knew anything about Louis Oosthuizen before the 139th Open Championship at St Andrews.

And although we may not be able to pronounce it correctly, it will be difficult to forget the name of the newly-crowned Champion Golfer of the Year.

But who is he? Keep reading for everything you didn’t need and/or want to know about the South African.

Factfile

Name: Lodewicus Theodorus “Louis” Oosthuizen

Nickname: Shrek

Born: Mossel Bay, South Africa

Date of birth: October 19, 1982

Amateur victories: 6

Turned pro: 2002

Pro victories: 7

In the bag: PING

Masters record: Cut (2009), Cut (2010)

US Open record: Cut (2010)

Open Championship record: Champion (2010)

PGA Championship record: 73rd (2008), Cut (2009)

Profile

Born Lodewicus Theodorus Oosthuizen in Mossel Bay on October 19, 1982, his early career was supported financially by the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation.

Oosthuizen was prolific as an amateur, winning the World Junior Championship in 2000, the All African Games and Transvaal Stroke Play Championship in 2001 and the Indian Amateur Open, Irish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship and Natal Open Stroke Play Championship in 2002.

Upon turning pro at 19, Oosthuizen joined the Sunshine Tour in southern Africa and went on to win five tournaments: the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour (2004), the Dimension Data Pro-Am and Platinum Classic (both 2007) and back-to-back Telkom PGA Championships (2007 and 2008).

He joined the European Tour in 2004, but had to wait six years for his first victory when he won the Andalucia Open in Spain with a record aggregate score of 263, beating Englishman Richard Finch and Scot Peter Whiteford to the €1million prize.

And just like London buses, another victory followed shortly as he cruised to the Claret Jug at St Andrews.

Before that, the 27-year-old’s Major record made miserable reading, failing to make the cut in the Masters (2009 and 2010), the US Open (2010), the Open Championship (2004, 2006 and 2009) and the PGA Championship (2009).

When he did make the cut – at the 2008 PGA Championship – he carded final rounds of 81 and 77 to finish dead last.

Before the Open, Oosthuizen was 54th in the world rankings, but his victory propelled him to 15th. He is currently fifth in the Race to Dubai.

Oosthuizen still lives in Mossel Bay, where he runs a Junior Golf Academy, with wife Nel-Mare and daughter Jana.

And finally…

Oosthuizen’s best ever round was a 15-under par 57 at Mossel Bay Golf Club. You can see the scorecard on his official website. 

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