Papwa: in the Grip of a Champion

In 1963 Sewsunker “Papwa” Sewgolum, a former caddie, became the first golfer of colour to win a provincial open in South Africa.

Self-taught, his game honed on the hills and dunes surrounding his Riverside home, Papwa beat 103 white golfers in the Natal Open at the Durban Country Club and instantly became a symbol of the sports boycott movement.

Two years later Papwa beat Gary Player to win the Natal Open for the second time. He also won the Dutch Open in 1959, 1960 and 1964. However, at the peak of his career Papwa was banned by the government from participating in or attending any PGA tournaments in South Africa. They also withdrew his passport, denying him the right to play internationally. These measures slowly broke Papwa’s spirit, leaving him with nothing but the dreams of what might have been.

Written as fiction, Papwa: In the Grip of a Champion is a uniquely South African story told by a master storyteller.

“The record books don’t lie. Three Dutch Opens, I repeat, three Dutch Opens in six years . . .”