Brad McLeod
Jared Du Toit has been named the Pacific Northwest Golf Association’s Men’s Player of the Year. The 21-year-old Kimberley golfer earned the award after an impressive year in which he broke his way into the international spotlight.
His historic tied-for-ninth place finish at the RBC Canadian Open in July, in which he stole headlines playing against a field of PGA Tour professionals which included Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and Jim Furyk, was the highlight of an acclaim-filled season.
Du Toit called the Open “the best week of my life so far” and his breakout performance had him tied for second with Johnson, one of the most famous golfers in the world, heading into the final round.
Although he dropped seven spots in the last day, he finished two shots ahead of Day and claimed the Gary Cowan Medal as the best performing amateur. He was the first Canadian to record a top-10 finish at the national championship since Doug Bajus in 1954.
Du Toit is currently on the college circuit, began at the University of Idaho before transferring to Arizona State, where he is now a senior.
In May, he began his 2016 campaign with a T25 performance at the NCAA Regional qualifier in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Over the summer, Du Toit spent his break from school lighting up the golf world.
He finished tied-for-third at the Monroe Invitational before winning the Glencoe Invitational in mid-June. Prior to his coming-out-party at the Canadian Open, he tied for eighth place at the Trans-Miss Championship and tied for fourth at the Porter Cup.
Finally, Du Toit capped off his unbelievable season with a T15 finish at the Canadian Men’s Amateur. He is also a member of the Canadian National Team, having most recently represented his nation at the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship which was held in Mexico in September. The team finished the tournament tied-for-ninth.
Du Toit is currently the top-ranked golfer on Golf Canada’s 2016 Men’s National Order of Merit. He previously came in second in the final rankings for the year 2015, only being bested by Blair Hamilton of Burlington, Ontario.
At only 21-years-old and not even finished with his education, Du Toit’s career has only just begun and yet he’s already achieved a host of incredible feats.
He should once again be a player to watch in 2017.