Profile on Matt Saulez

Matt started his golf career when he showed an interest in playing KZN Junior Foundation (U19) tournaments when he turned 8 years old.  From there on he hardly missed one of Shelagh Digby’s tournaments which were run during the school holidays.  This progressed until in his final 4 years he was regularly representing KZN U19 in the annual inter-provincials.  He was also winning these tournaments and was developing his potential.

He also started playing in National U19 tournaments.  He was regularly ranked in the Top 10 of U19 players in South Africa.  His highlight was winning the National Coastal NooM Strokeplay event at St Francis Links against the best players in the country.  He represented the South African Juniors for 2 years in a row at the South African Challenge Cup against Men’s Provincial teams.  In his 2^nd year (2015) he captained the team, and they won the Challenge Cup at Milnerton Golf Club.

In 2012 (aged 15) he won the Gowrie Club Champs on his first attempt.

Matt started playing Men’s golf in 2014 (aged 16) both in Provincial and National tournaments.  One of the first tournaments he played that year was the KZN Men’s Closed at Kloof Country Club and surprised all the top KZN players by winning the 72 hole tournament.  He was then selected for the KZN Men’s Provincial team for his first Inter-Provincial at Clovelly Country Club.  During this year he also reached No. 1 Men’s Player in KZN.

After school he joined the Tuks Golf Academy for 3 years.  Over this time he built himself an incredible amateur career in South Africa and Overseas.  Highlights of these 3 years were we follows:

• Represented KZN Men’s for another 3 years.
• Showed remarkable consistency in National Tournaments and reached a SA Men’s ranking of No. 2 on the GolfRSA Ranking behind only Wilco Nienaber. On the Golf Digest Rankings he reached No. 1.
• In 2018 at the SA Men’s Strokeplay at Pecanwood CC he shot a score of 26 under but only to loose out the Oliver Gilberg of Sweden who shot 27 under. His score is the lowest score by a South African in this event.
• Another definite highlight was qualifying for the SA Open at Glendower in 2018 having to eagle the last hole of the qualifier and then beating 4 other players in a playoff for a spot in the tournament. He shot 69 and 70 in the SA Open to make the cut.
• During his amateur career he represented South Africa on six occasions and was chosen to go on the GolfRSA Squad tours to the UK. He had excellent results in the UK highlighted by a 7^th place finish in the Irish Amateur, 4^th place finish in the British Amateur Strokeplay Qualifier and 9^th in the Scottish Amateur.
• The pinnacle of his amateur career was being selected in 2018 for the South African Team for the Eisenhower Trophy (World Amateur Team Championship) in Ireland. His fellow team members were Wilco Nienaber, Jovan Rebula and Malcolm Mitchell.

In late 2019 Matt turned professional and started to learn the ropes of a life as a professional golfer.  He has progressed tremendously of late and won his first professional tournament on the IGT Tour in South Africa at Services GC in Pretoria.  He shot 15 under with scores of 70, 67, and 64.

Matt has been associated with 3 golf clubs during his career.  Whilst an amateur and at school he represented Durban Country Club in the Premier League.  Over the last couple of years he has based himself at Kingswood Golf Estate in George where he spends his time between tournaments with his mentor and coach Roger Wessels.  His true love though is Gowrie and this is where he loves to relax and play his social golf, where he shot a 59 in a club competition.  He represents Gowrie extremely proudly.

BELOW:  Matt’s Win at St Francis Links – National Junior Event

BELOW:  Matt SA Open – Glendower 2018

BELOW: Matt SA Team – Eisenhower Trophy Ireland 2018

BELOW:  Matt – Win IGT Tour – Services GC – 2021