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The Citizen
11-05-2025
- The Citizen
Port Edward: A bridge too far
Wild Coast is closer than you think Speaking this past week to an old high school friend from Johannesburg about my recent trip to Pondoland, he said he'd always wanted to visit the Wild Coast. 'It's just so far,' he almost wailed. The distance between Johannesburg and Port Edward, the KwaZulu-Natal gateway to the Wild Coast is 720km whereas the distance along the N2 between Stellenbosch and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) – a road I frequently travel by motorcycle – is 750km. Nor will the Gauteng-based traveller have to drive through the erstwhile Transkei, a daunting prospect to many, to get there. Port Edward is 30km beyond Margate. A bridge too far? Wild Coast is closer than you think I've never actually visited Port Edward before, even though I've been going to the Wild Coast since I was a child in East London. Port Edward entered my roadtripping gunsight last year while flying low-level back to Durban from Mkambati Game Reserve. I spotted a bare patch of ochre-coloured ground surrounded by lush savannah not far from the Mtamvuna River and asked the pilot what it was. 'That's the world's smallest desert,' he replied. On the north bank of the Mtamvuna is Port Edward and on the south, the Wild Coast Sun ( The bridge over it links KZN and the Eastern Cape. As with Port Edward, I'd never been to the Wild Coast Sun, a Sun International resort that opened in 1981. My first 'memory' of the place was vicarious: watching golfer Bernhard Langer on television driving off the remarkable elevated tee prior to winning the Wild Coast Sun Skins tournament in 1990. What a glorious course, I thought at the time. It still is. Thanks to a confluence of coincidences, Sun International made contact a few months later… …and in mid-March RoseMariè and I drove in the deepening gloom over that bridge my school buddy said was too far (having driven 660km from Bathurst and taken an unplanned detour) and checked into the four-star resort for the first of three nights. What immediately struck me while pushing the luggage trolley to our room was that the place must be enormous because, as luck would have it, our room was one of the farthest from the lifts. I later averaged that distance at around 240 paces; a bit of a marathon when you're to-ing and froing several times a day or have forgotten something in the car. Still, the room looked out over the sea where a full moon was rising. Open the windows to hear the surf, pour a glass of wine, turn off the lights and… bliss. NOW READ: Of tents, muddy puddles and camping fun A resort for all seasons I would strongly suggest making a mid-week booking if you want to make the most of the extensive range of facilities and guest activities, especially those that focus on kids such as the thrilling Wild Waves Water Park or the challenging 18-hole championship golf course. There are 394 rooms in the hotel and our final night – the Friday before a three-day long weekend – saw all but four of them occupied. The main mode of dining is buffet-style and, even when the hotel is packed, service is slick and the food flavourful and impeccably prepared. Rose-Mariè had large portions of lamb curry each night while I opted for an enormous omelette every day at breakfast. The first morning we followed Matt Williams' directions to the Red Desert Nature Reserve ( a private-public initiative between landowners and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Williams is custodian and part-owner of the 180ha reserve, inside which the actual desert covers less than 11ha and is only 200m wide at its broadest. 'By the time you come across it, you're halfway to the other side,' Rose-Mariè quipped. Williams says desertification 'was caused by human activity starting with early Stone Age people using fire to manufacture implements. 'Much later, Shaka… the famous king of the amaZulu… came this way to raid cattle from the other side of the river. He'd corral them here before heading back north. This caused overgrazing.' The birdlife in the reserve is remarkable and a number of mammal species are present. These include leopard, caracal and spotted genet – all quite elusive – as well as bushbuck, reedbuck, grey and blue duiker. There is a R40 entry fee and it's based on an honesty system whereby visitors can visit the website to buy a ticket or use their phones to scan a QR code at the gate. The day was warm and the sun high when we finished, so RoseMariè and I headed into town for a beer at a beachfront pub-restaurant called The Wreck, which takes its name from the sinking of the Portuguese sailing ship Sao Joao which ran aground in 1552. About 500 of the 600 people on board made it to shore, not knowing the nightmare had only begun. A nearby memorial tells their story. Unearthing ancient wonders The Wild Coast Sun was built between the mouths of two rivers, the Mzamba and Mtamvuna, and it is the beach – specifically at low tide – that has been Benny Mbotho's workplace for the past quarter century. Mbotho is a guide and self-taught palaeontologist who shows hotel guests the panoply of fossils that include trees and ammonites that date 80 million years. The so-called 'petrified forest' is a series of trees carried downriver and embedded in rock by subsequent glacial movement. He also pointed out the remains of 'White Man's Cave' in which many of the Sao Joao survivors took shelter before deciding to trek north to Delagoa Bay (Maputo). According to the Port Edward memorial: 'Ahead of them lay a walk of hundreds of miles during which most succumbed to exposure, heat, exhaustion, thirst and starvation. They were subjected to attacks by wild animals and encounters with indigenous tribes. 'Only 22 survived.' NOW READ: From tents to fridges to lights: How to kick off your next adventure in nature
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Masters tee times for Rounds 1, 2: When do Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy tee off at Augusta National?
The 2025 Masters tees off Thursday, and the weather is expected to be exceptional at Augusta for the opening round. Scottie Scheffler is vying for a second straight green jacket, and while this year's field won't have Tiger Woods, it's not lacking for stars. Here are the notable pairings for the first two rounds of the event, all times ET: 8:35 a.m. (11:49 a.m Friday): Bernhard Langer (final Masters), Will Zalatoris, Noah Kent (amateur) 9:47 a.m. (1:01 p.m.): Collin Morikawa, Joaquin Niemann, Min Woo Lee 9:58 a.m. (1:12 p.m.): Phil Mickelson, Jason Day, Keegan Bradley 10:15 a.m. (1:23 p.m.): Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Jose Luis Ballester (amateur) 10:26 a.m. (1:34 p.m.): Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, Tyrrell Hatton 12:50 p.m. (9:36 a.m.): Brooks Koepka, Russell Henley, Sungjae Im 1:01 p.m. (9:47 a.m.): Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland 1:12 p.m. (9:58 a.m.): Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Åberg, Akshay Bhatia 1:23 p.m. (10:15 a.m.): Hideki Matsuyama, Bryson DeChambeau, Shane Lowry 1:34 p.m. (10:26 a.m.): Jon Rahm, Wyndham Clark, Tommy Fleetwood The Masters officially begins at 7:25 a.m. ET Thursday with the ceremonial tee shots of Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. Here are the full field pairings and tee times for the opening round: 7:40 a.m.: Davis Riley, Patton Kizzire 7:51 a.m.: Kevin Yu, Jhonattan Vegas, Nicolai Hojgaard 8:02 a.m.: Mike Weir, Michael Kim, Cameron Young 8:13 a.m.: Zach Johnson, Joe Highsmith, Chris Kirk 8:24 a.m.: Danny Willett, Nicolas Echavarria, Davis Thompson 8:35 a.m.: Bernhard Langer, Will Zalatoris, Noah Kent 8:52 a.m.: Cameron Smith, J.T. Poston, Aaron Rai 9:03 a.m.: Fred Couples, Harris English, Taylor Pendrith 9:14 a.m.: Corey Conners, Brian Harman, Stephan Jaeger 9:25 a.m.: Patrick Reed, Max Greyserman, Byeong Hun An 9:36 a.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Billy Horschel, Nick Dunlap 9:47 a.m.: Collin Morikawa, Joaquin Niemann, Min Woo Lee 9:58 a.m.: Phil Mickelson, Jason Day, Keegan Bradley 10:15 a.m.: Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Jose Luis Ballester 10:26 a.m.: Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, Tyrrell Hatton 10:37 a.m.: Tony Finau, Maverick McNealy, Thomas Detry 10:48 a.m.: Cameron Davis, Rafael Campos, Austin Eckroat 10:59 a.m.: Angel Cabrera, Laurie Canter, Adam Schenk 11:10 a.m.: Jose Maria Olazabal, Thriston Lawrence, Brian Campbell 11:21 a.m.: Bubba Watson, Matthieu Pavon, Evan Beck 11:38 a.m.: Tom Hoge, Matt McCarty, Christiaan Bezuidenhout 11:49 a.m.: Charl Schwartzel, Denny McCarthy, Hiroshi Tai 12:00 p.m.: Max Homa, Justin Rose, J.J. Spaun 12:11 p.m.: Dustin Johnson, Nick Taylor, Justin Hastings 12:22 p.m.: Sergio Garcia, Lucas Glover, Daniel Berger 12:33 p.m.: Patrick Cantlay, Rasmus Hojgaard, Matt Fitzpatrick 12:50 p.m.: Brooks Koepka, Russell Henley, Sungjae Im 1:01 p.m.: Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Holland 1:12 p.m.: Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Akshay Bhatia 1:23 p.m.: Hideki Matsuyama, Bryson DeChambeau, Shane Lowry 1:34 p.m.: Jon Rahm, Wyndham Clark, Tommy Fleetwood 1:45 p.m.: Sahith Theegala, Sepp Straka, Sam Burns
NBC Sports
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
Langer: 'I did play pretty good' at final Masters
German golfer Bernhard Langer joins Golf Today to discuss his "very emotional and very nice" experience at the Masters, his new documentary, his most painful tournament losses, his advice for younger players and more.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Masters leaderboard cut line: Full list of players who missed the cut at Augusta National
The most storied tournament in golf is underway, with the 2025 edition of The Masters having teed off Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club. Each of the 95 golfers who made their way to Georgia this week did so with the hopes of finishing the tournament with a triumphant stroll into Butler Cabin and with a green jacket draped snugly around them. Advertisement For nearly half The Masters field, those dreams won't even make it to the weekend. REQUIRED READING: Masters 2025 live odds: Who is the favorite to win Masters Tournament? Like many major golf tournaments, The Masters has a cut line after the first 36 holes, eliminating a solid portion of the field that doesn't reach a particular score at the halfway point of the event. At many past Masters, that cut line hasn't just affected some of the youngest, most inexperienced and relatively anonymous competitors; it has claimed some of the biggest, most accomplished names in the sport. Here's a look at the cut at the 2025 Masters, including who failed to make it, what the cut line is and more: Advertisement REQUIRED READING: Scottie Scheffler tee time: When does defending Masters champion start Round 2? What is the Masters cut line? The cut line at the end of Round 2 at the Masters was 2-over par, per the PGA website. A total of 53 golfers made the cut with a score of 2-over or better. Who missed the Masters cut? With the cut line at 2-over par, past Masters champions Phil Mickelson, Bernhard Langer, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Mike Weir, Adam Scott and José María Olazábal fell short and will not play in the final two rounds of the tournament. That group also included, among other notable names, Brooks Koepka, Keegan Bradley, Tony Finau and Will Zalatoris. Advertisement Here's a full list of the players who failed to make the cut at the 2025 edition of The Masters. T-54. Dustin Johnson (+3) T-54. Bernhard Langer (+3) T-54. Keegan Bradley (+3) T-54. Russell Henley (+3) T-54. Chris Kirk (+3) T-59. Tony Finau (+4) T-59. Fred Couples (+4) T-59. Mike Weir (+4) T-59. Sergio Garcia (+4) T-59. Rafael Campos (+4) T-59. Adam Schenk (+4) T-59. Justin Hastings (+4) T-59. Joe Highsmith (+4) T-67. Brooks Koepka (+5) T-67. Phil Mickelson (+5) T-67. Adam Scott (+5) T-67. Billy Horschel (+5) T-67. Sepp Straka (+5) T-67. Cameron Smith (+5) T-73. Robert MacIntyre (+6) T-73. Austin Eckroat (+6) T-73. Hiroshi Tai (+6) T-73. Kevin Yu (+6) T-73. Jhonattan Vegas (+6) T-73. Nicolai Højgaard (+6) T-79. José María Olazábal (+7) T-79. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+7) T-79. Cameron Young (+7) T-82. Will Zalatoris (+8) T-82. Lucas Glover (+8) T-82. Patton Kizzire (+8) T-82. Taylor Pendrith (+8) T-86. Cam Davis (+9) T-86. Evan Beck (+9) T-86 . Thomas Detry (+9) T-89. Laurie Canter (+10) T-89. Matthieu Pavon (+10) T-89. Jose Luis Ballester Barrio (+10) T-92. Ángel Cabrera (+11) T-92. Thirston Lawrence (+11) T-92. Noah Kent (+11) 95. Nick Dunlap (+17) REQUIRED READING: What can you get for $50 at the Masters concession stands? Here's how you could mix and match How many make the Masters cut? The players in the top 50 places on the leaderboard, including ties, make the cut and continue playing at the Masters into the weekend. Previously, anyone within 10 strokes of the lead also made the cut, but that rule was scrapped for the 2020 Masters, which was pushed back to November due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that spring. REQUIRED READING: Masters cut rules explained: How many golfers make the cut in 2025? What is the Masters cut? Rules and what you need to know The cut at the Masters trims the field down to roughly half of the 95 participants who began competing in the tournament on Thursday. Advertisement Cuts after the first 36 holes of competition are common throughout major golf tournaments. Will Tiger Woods make the Masters cut? Woods, six years after winning his sixth green jacket, will not be playing in the 2025 Masters after he underwent surgery in March to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. On April 1, Woods posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that he was ready to play in the Masters after an intensive routine that included sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber, but it was an April Fools joke (despite it fooling some respondents like pundit Jason Whitlock). This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: 2025 Masters leaderboard cut line: Full list of players who missed the cut
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
German icon Langer bids emotional farewell to Masters tournament
Germany's Bernhard Langer hits the ball during first round game of the BMW International Golf Open. Langer walked hand in hand with his wife Vikki Carol one last time as a participant, while fans cheered and celebrated his impressive achievements on the legendary golf course in the US state of Georgia. Christian Kolbert/Kolbert-Press/dpa After Bernhard Langer's last putt at the Masters on Friday, the spectators stood up and applauded the German golf icon. Langer then walked hand in hand with his wife Vikki Carol one last time as a participant, while fans cheered and celebrated his impressive achievements on the legendary golf course in the US state of Georgia. Advertisement The 1985 and 1993 Masters champion missed his chance to extend his time at the major tournament with a misplaced putt. He had announced before the tournament that he would be competing in the Masters for the last time. "It was truly a fairytale," said Langer, who put golf in the spotlight in Germany with his first Masters triumph 40 years ago. The veteran didn't know for sure at the time he made the mistake that he would miss the cut and wouldn't be competing at the weekend - but he suspected it. "I played really well today and just had a terrible finish that knocked me out. But I didn't know whether I was walking on hole 18 for the last time or whether I'd still be here tomorrow (Saturday(," Langer told US broadcaster ESPN. Advertisement The confirmation came in the evening and the 67-year-old had to leave his beloved golf course after rounds of 74 and 73 strokes. "That was very infuriating. Otherwise I would be here this weekend. But that's the thing about golf. It can be the most beautiful game, and sometimes it can be very brutal," he said after the second round. "The last two days have been special for me, even when I walked to the first tee yesterday, I got a standing ovation and people really applauded me," he said. "It almost brought tears to my eyes and I almost started crying. I then said to myself, pull yourself together, you still have some golf to play here." In the future, Langer wants to concentrate on tournaments on the US Seniors Tour.
