Brandon Stone

Comes from a strong golfing background, his father, Kevin, is an experienced Sunshine Tour player and the national coach for the South African amateur junior team, while his grandfather, Sam, also played for his country.
Was earmarked as a future star early on during a stellar amateur career - particularly in the American collegiate ranks where he was named the 2013 NCAA Freshman of the Year while representing the University of Texas. Known on the circuit for his superior ball-striking. Roope Kakko, having played with Stone on the way to winning the 2015 Madeira Islands Open, stated that he had "Major-winning potential.
Played on the Challenge Tour in 2014 and in 14 starts made the cut in 7, finished 80th on the Order of merit. In 2015 played in 18 Challenge Tour events making the cut in 13. He had 7 top-10s including runner-up in the Barclays Kenya Open and Gant Open. But his best finish was in the last start of 2015, he shot a final-round 68 to finish 6th at the NBO Golf Classic and with the high finish ended up 14th in the Road to Oman rankings which got him a berth on the European Tour.
Fulfilled his early promise when he made his European Tour breakthrough early in 2016, winning the BMW SA Open. Produced four birdies in the last seven holes to triumph by two shots at Glendower Golf Club, and earned the congratulations of many of his compatriots on the 18th green. Counts Ernie Els as a close family friend and benefit from some advice from the four-time Major winner during the season-ending NBO Golf Classic Grand Final.
2016 Notes: Played in 23 events on the European Tour making 17 cuts and six top-ten finishes. In his second start of the year won the BMW South African Open. Was 50th in the Race to Dubai with earnings of euro722,601. Represented South Africa in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Finished T-55th in the 60-player field.
2017 Notes: Kicked off the 2017 European Tour season with a runaway 7-shot victory over fellow South African Richard Sterne at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Entered the final round with a 3 shot lead before closing with a 67 at the Leopard Creek Country Club to finish with a 72-hole total of 22-under-par. At the age of 23 years and 228 days, became the youngest South African to win first two European Tour events since Charl Schwartzel in 2007. Also had a T-7th at the Dubai Desert Classic and T-4th at the Joburg Open. After finishing T-70th in the Open Championship went home to Africa and finished 2nd at the Vodacom Origins-Highland Gate. Stone played in 24 events on the European Tour and made 16 cuts. He had 3 top-ten finishes but they were in his first 4 starts. After his T-4th at Joburg Open, he was only in the top-twenty-five twice in his last 20 starts the best being T-15th at the Dunhill Links in Scotland. He finished 69th in the Race to Dubai.
2018 Notes: Played in 26 European Tour events making 16 cuts with two top-ten finishes. Was 25th in the Race to Dubai. Had a rough start to the year, in his first 16 events only made the cut in 7 events, best finish was T-22nd at the Trophee Hassan II. At the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, Stone became the 18th player to shot 60 on the European Tour and he did that in the final round to win by 4 shots over Eddie Pepperell. Stone played his last 47 holes bogey-free and in 18 under par and with it got one of the last spots in the British Open Championship at Carnoustie. Finished T-61st at the British Open. Also got into the PGA Championship and finished T-12th. Finished the year with a pair of T-10 finishes at the Vodacom Origins of Golf-Arabella on the South African tour and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
2019 Notes: Played in 24 European Tour events making 11 cuts with two top-ten finishes. Was 99th in the Race to Dubai, he earned euro326,617. Was T-7th at the South African Open. In his last event of the season was T-2nd at the Portugal Masters a shot back of winner Steven Brown.
2020 Notes: Played in 22 European Tour events making 15 cuts with three top-ten finishes. Was 33rd in the Race to Dubai with earnings of euro505,241. Was 2nd at the Oman Open, was beaten on the third hole of a playoff with winner Sami Valimaki. T-6th at the English Championship and T-4th at the Joburg Open. Ended his season finishing T-23rd at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
2021 Notes: Was 2nd at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, four shots back of winner Paul Casey. T-7th at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. In the Limpopo Championship, a co-sanctioned event on the Sunshine Tour and the European Challenge tour won beating Hennie DuPlessis, Oliver Bekker, and Daniel Van Tonder with a birdie on the first playoff hole.