Durban Country Club has always been one of South Africa’s most iconic golf courses and has been taken to a new level by racing doyen Nick Jonsson and his team (Picture: golfbreaks.com)
The Racing Masters is always one of racing’s most fun couple of days and this year the players get to play on arguably South Africa’s greatest championship golf course, Durban Country Club, so with only 18 spots still available for this year’s tournament act quickly to book a place!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DETAILS AND BOOK YOUR PLACE
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EVENT
In 1993 a small group of fun-loving Highveld-based Owners, Trainers and Jockeys planned a weekend “Golfing & Casino” trip to The Royal Swazi Spa just to get away from Johannesburg’s hectic rat-race-like atmosphere and enjoy some time quality together. There is no record of who won and who lost in the Casino, but Robbie Hill emerged victorious on the fairways and greens of the then famed Royal Swazi Championship golf course.
The success of that mini-junket spawned the idea of an annual golf tournament for Horse Racing’s stakeholders and in November 1994 the Racing Masters was born. With accommodation booked at the Mmabatho Sun, the chase for horse racing’s own Green Jacket was officially launched over 18 holes at the Leopard Park golf course in Mafikeng . Russell Purchase was crowned the first winner of racing’s Green Jacket and who would have believed back then, that more than thirty years later, the Racing Masters remains a firm fixture on horse racing’s annual social calendar.
The event has evolved over the years and attracts competitors from around the country. The 18-hole format was changed within a few years of inception to a two-day 36-hole competition and during its long history the “Masters” has only ever been hosted at four venues. Leopard Park in Mafikeng, Graceland Country Club in Secunda, a lone one-year (1999) return to the Royal Swazi Golf Course, and since 2009 at the Wild Coast Sun on the South Coast.
The Racing Masters has left us with many happy memories over the years and, as one would expect, much hilarity and frivolity, many famous incidents as well as a number of “infamous” incidents, but always great fun and hugely entertaining! But as they say, what goes on tour stays on tour…….
While there have been a number of dual Masters Champions over the years, Grant Knowles stands alone as a three-time winner of the prestigious Green Jacket. Winners over the years include such household names as Neil Andrews, James Goodman, Piere Strydom, Anthony Delpech and Kevin Shea, just to name a few.
Now in 2026, the 30th renewal of the Racing Masters moves to the iconic Durban Country Club and presents competitors with an opportunity to tackle arguably the most famous of all South African golf courses. A golf course which over the years has hosted the South African Open and seen our country’s hall-of-famers, such as Gary Player, Bobby Locke, Ernie Els and many others, stride to memorable victories. Recently refurbished and re-designed by a team led by Nick Jonsson, the Durban Country Club retains its position as one of South Africa’s most sought after golfing experience.
That begs the question….who will be heralded the first Racing Masters Champion on its debut appearance at the Country’s Home of Golf?
PAST RACING MASTERS’ CHAMPIONS;
1994 – Russel Purchase
1995 – Ronnie Casey
1996 – Terry Assness
1997 – Dustine Wilken
1998 – Paul Marks
1999 – Graeme Hawkins
2000 – Piere Strydom
2001 – Ramon Rahme
2002 – Grant Knowles
2003 – Coenie de Beer
2004 – Ramon Rahme
2006 – Neil Andrews
2007 – Christopher Goosen
2008 – Neil Andrews
2009 – Grant Knowles
2011 – Keith Williamson
2012 – Pierre du Toit
2013 – Larry Southwood
2014 – Pierre du Toit
2015 – Nelson Odaya
2016 – Keagan Reddy
2017 – Anthony Delpech
2018 – Anthony Seur
2019 – Kevin Shea
2021 – Pradeep Rambaras
2022 – James Goodman
2023 – Grant Knowles
2024 – Theo Muthasamy
2025 – Ruan Neethling.
