George Coetzee’s biography, fact, career, awards, net worth and life story

George William Coetzee (born 18 July 1986) is a South African professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and Sunshine Tour.

Coetzee was born in Pretoria. He started playing golf when he was 10 and won the first junior tournament he ever played in, shooting 49 in 9 holes. He finished 4th and 8th in the Callaway Junior World Championship in San Diego, where he attended the University of San Diego for one semester. He turned professional in 2007.

Coetzee joined the Sunshine Tour in 2007, and claimed his first win during his rookie season, in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour event at Selborne. His second and third wins came a year later at the SAA Pro-Am Invitational, and the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour event at Humewood.

He earned a European Tour card for the 2010 season through the qualifying school, but had to return to qualifying school at the end of the season after finishing 126th on the Order of Merit and recording only two top-10 finishes. Coetzee regained his playing rights in 2011 and enjoyed a successful season, with a runner-up placing at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, where he lost out to Thomas Bjorn on the fifth extra hole of a five-man playoff. He also had three third-place finishes at other tournaments and eight top-10s overall. Coetzee finished the season ranked 26th on the Race to Dubai.

Coetzee had a successful 2012 season, finishing 21st on the Race to Dubai and reaching the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

In February 2014, Coetzee won his maiden European Tour title in his 107th start with a three stroke victory at the Joburg Open. He came from four strokes behind in the final round with a six under par 66 to claim victory.

Alan Burns was Coetzee’s caddy from 2010 to July 2017. Burns then took another opportunity in July 2017 with another South African golfer Brandon Stone

Coetzee won his second European Tour title at the Tshwane Open in March 2015, by a single stroke over Jacques Blaauw. Both of his wins on the European Tour have come in co-sanctioned events with the Sunshine Tour in South Africa.

In May 2015, Coetzee won his second tournament of the year at the inaugural AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, defeating Thorbjørn Olesen in a sudden-death playoff, at the second extra hole with a birdie on the par-five 18th hole.

In February 2016, Coetzee won the Dimension Data Pro-Am finishing birdie-birdie-eagle to defeat Dean Burmester by a single stroke.

Education

He attended Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Afrikaans High School for Boys, also known as Affies), a popular and renowned public school located in Pretoria.

Professional wins (11)

European Tour wins (4)

Co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour
Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour

European Tour playoff record (1–1)

Sunshine Tour wins (10)

Co-sanctioned by the European Tour
Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour

Sunshine Tour playoff record (1–0)

Other wins (1)

• 2011 Gary Player Invitational (with Mark James)

Results in major championships

CUT = missed the half-way cut
“T” = tied

Summary

• Most consecutive cuts made – 2 (2013 U.S. Open – 2013 Open Championship)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 1

Results in World Golf Championships

Results not in chronological order prior to 2015.

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
“T” = tied

Team appearances

Professional

• World Cup (representing South Africa): 2013, 2016