Sophomore Christiaan Maas treats “pressure as a privilege.”
The golfer competed at the inaugural Africa Amateur Championship from Feb. 21-24, firing a 9-under par score of 63 to tie the Leopard Creek Golf Club 18-hole course record. A final-day three-man playoff awarded Maas a runner-up finish as he ended the weekend scoring a 13-under-par 275.
“I’m glad in the end I was able to put a couple of good rounds together and at least give myself a chance on the last couple of holes,” Maas said.
The tournament made history, being the first in Africa to offer a qualification opportunity to the Alfred Dunhill Championship, Amateur Championship and Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland.
The decision, backed by the South African Golf Association and Royal & Ancient Committee, looks to advance the sport’s recognition and growth within the continent.
“It has been awe-inspiring to see the growth and recognition of golf in Africa in the last five years, and events like these undoubtedly contribute to its continued development and success,” said Phil Anderton, chief development officer at R&A, to local Mpumalanga News.
Maas, a member of the GolfRSA National Squad and No. 13 in the latest World Amateur Golf Rankings, entered the weekend as a favorite, feeling the familiar pressure to perform on the tee box.
“If you get in your own way, that’s when it’s gonna mess up,” Maas said. “But you just gotta trust yourself. Just follow your pre-shot routine, take a couple of practice swings, look for the target, hit the shot and just believe in yourself that you’re probably going to hit a good shot.”
The international competitor joined the Texas squad in 2022 and now faces a new level of intensity, competing against colleges on famous courses like Augusta, Cypress Point and Seminole.
“The competition is on the next level over here,” Maas said. “There’s a lot more funding that goes into golf. There are five good players in South Africa, and if you come to America, there’s 100 of them.”
He said that he is grateful for the opportunity to compete and grow within the program and feels privileged to have a couple more seasons with the Longhorns to fight for a championship.
“It’s fun playing for the team (Texas),” he said. “It prepares you well for one day when you go pro because now you’ve got an extra little pressure every time. You’ve got to play well for yourself, but you’ve also kind of got to play well for the team.”
No superstitions follow Maas to the green, just the pressure of representing a historic Texas program and the excitement of participating in the growing development and representation of golf in South Africa.
