Johannesburg, Mar 5: Over six decades ago, Indian-origin golfer Sewshanker Sewgolam was forced to accept his trophy in pouring rain because apartheid laws at the time would not allow him to enter the halls of the British colonial club.
On Sunday, another Indian-origin golfer, Dylan Naidoo, claimed a momentous victory at the South African Open at the same Durban Country Club (DCC), going a long way in erasing the hurt and humiliation caused by that ugly incident in apartheid sport.
When the 27-year-old Naidoo prevailed in a playoff against England’s Laurie Canter at DCC, the community celebrated but also recalled the suffering inflicted by apartheid-era legislation on internationally acclaimed Indian-origin golfer Sewgolam, popularly known as ‘Papwa.’
In 1963, Sewgolam won the provincial Natal Open, a tournament which until then was only open to the ruling white minority. However, his triumph was overshadowed by the racial discrimination of the time as he was forced to accept his trophy in pouring rain outside the DCC because the rules at the time would not allow him to enter the halls of the British colonial club.
This was after Sewgolam had earlier been taken to the Netherlands by a benefactor who recognised his talent. There he won the 1959 and 1960 Dutch Open. He also tied in one British Open with one of the greatest golfers of all time, Jack Nicklaus, although neither of them won that tournament.
Despite his achievements, the apartheid government denied him permission to participate in the country’s national events, as it was strictly segregated by race. However, Sewgolam’s legal representative proved that there was no legal barrier to his participation in the provincial match.
He went on to script a groundbreaking victory in the Natal Open and yet Sewgolam was given his trophy under an umbrella in the rain outside the venue while the others celebrated the day inside.
For Naidoo, who received his award inside the same venue on Sunday as it rained heavily outside, Sewgolam’s courage and determination served as a source of inspiration throughout his career.
“I hope to be one of the best players in the world,” said Naidoo, who was amazed to see so many local Indian-origin supporters coming out to watch him play on the last day of the tournament.
“There aren’t many professional players of colour in this sport. I hope through my success, it will inspire the younger generation and those of colour to choose golf,” he told the weekly Post newspaper.
Naidoo is one of the golfers who have emerged triumphant from the Sunshine Tour initiative’s Papwa Sewgolam Class, which was established to provide opportunities for golfers who are not from the white community, as part of the sports attempts to bring about transformation in a democratic South Africa after Nelson Mandela ascended the Presidency in 1994.
“In 2019, when I returned to South Africa (from studying at the University of Arkansas in the US), I turned pro,” said Naidoo, who started playing golf at age 9.
“I played in tournaments across the country. I must say, professional golf is cutthroat, and you have to find yourself in the game very fast. You are up against some great players, but this pushed me to improve myself faster.” (PTI)
