Julien Sale making the cut in his first appearance in this week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open was significant in many respects. Although playing under the French flag, Sale was born and raised on the nearby island of Reunion and his presence in this Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour event is a massive source of inspiration for the young golfers in the region.
On a Saturday when a host of young junior golfers attended the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open Golf Clinic at the La Réserve Golf Links, Sale reflects exactly the aspirational effect this event is having on the development of golf in Mauritius.
“This tournament is a big source of inspiration for our junior golfers,” says Yannick Mervan, President of the Mauritius Golf Federation.
“We have seen a good increase in terms of participation of junior in our federation. They watch these golfers on TV and there are able to see them here in real life. And we’ve seen the effect. This year we had two Mauritian junior golfers who joined the World Amateur Golf Ranking.”
Sale’s appearance in this event is a true return to his golf roots in a region that is starting to tell the story of its own golf heroes and create its own generation of stars who, through event, can now see a pathway to global success.
Sale made history on the Asian Tour this year when he won in his first tournament as a member of the Tour in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open, also becoming the first French winner of this title. He ended 40th on the HotelPlanner Tour’s Road to Mallorca rankings this year with three top-10 finishes.
Similarly, Mauritius’ Pierre Pellegrin has come through the ranks of this tournament, having played in it since his amateur days and now as a professional. It’s been a key stepping stone in his own career as he’s now graduated to the Sunshine Tour.
“Playing my home Open is very important. I hope the young golfers of Mauritius are inspired by it because competing against some of the best golfers in this event is a privilege,” says Pellegrin.
Even for those working in the Mauritius golf industry, the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is a source of true pride.
“For us, this is the biggest tournament in the Indian Ocean. It’s a celebration of golf in Mauritius, and that’s the goal for us,” says Heritage Golf ambassador and PGA Professional Lewis Wallace.