MJ Daffue has returned to South Africa to compete in this week’s Cell C Challenge in Honour of Gary Player at Killarney Country Club. The seasoned professional seeks to rediscover the excitement and pure joy the Sunshine Tour provides.
“The Sunshine Tour creates such great opportunities. They just do things differently. It’s a different feel here and I love that,” says Daffue. The golfer has spent most of his career competing on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour.
“It’s really focused on the golfer and golf. It provides what I’m looking for at the moment, which is that pure joy and excitement of playing the game.”
Daffue’s homecoming follows a challenging two-year period marred by serious injury setbacks. These struggles significantly impacted his enjoyment of professional golf.
“It’s been an interesting two years for me. In 2023 I got a bone disease in my right hand and had to undergo surgery,” he explained. “The next year I got an infection in the same hand and had to get three more surgeries.”
The extended recovery period proved mentally taxing for the South African. “It was a crazy two years of trying to get healthy and get the game back, and finding confidence again.”
With his five-year-old son never having visited South Africa, Daffue determined this presented the perfect opportunity. He plans to compete in multiple Sunshine Tour events including upcoming co-sanctioned tournaments with the HotelPlanner Tour before returning to America in April.
“Struggling with the injuries has been a mental challenge for me,” Daffue admitted. “I’d also played a lot of golf before that and was a little burned out. I wasn’t enjoying the game and the travelling.”
The relentless schedule had transformed his passion into mere employment. “It was just becoming a job and I had no enjoyment. But I’ve made some changes to get things back on track.”
Daffue now feels physically recovered and reports playing excellent golf. “I’m healthy and playing really good golf at the moment. So this seemed like a great opportunity to come to South Africa.”
His objectives extend beyond competitive success. “I want to find my game and get the love of the game back. I don’t take anything for granted. Competition is competition. I just want to compete and have fun again.”
Rather than setting rigid goals, Daffue focuses on respecting his time and commitment. “If I’m going to play this week, then my time is valuable. I’m going to respect it and make sure I do everything to the best of my ability.”
“I still visualise myself winning Majors. But I’m working hard on staying in the present and just being the golfer that I’m satisfied with.”
Playing in a tournament honouring Gary Player holds special significance for Daffue. The legendary South African golfer made a lasting impression when Daffue was just 11 years old.
“I watched a tournament with Mr Player in it and he came over and handed me a signed golf ball,” Daffue recalled. “He set an example to spread your wings and leave South Africa and become an ambassador for us.”
Daffue has endeavoured to follow Player’s example throughout his professional career. Now he returns home seeking the passion that originally inspired his journey.
