What was your first car?

My first car was an Austin Healey 300 that I bought secondhand for £1,000. It was a beautiful little car. My first memory with the car deals with one of my school instructors, Mr Dan Henning, at King Edward VII School. Mr. Henning was a very proper and strict English gentleman that gave me quite an earful once he heard of my plans to leave school and become a professional golfer before matriculation. He made sure that I knew it was a silly idea because professional athletes did not make much money at that time. Once I had my beautiful Healey, I decided to drive by the school one day and happened to catch Mr Henning on his way walking to campus. I pulled up to Mr Henning and asked if he would care for a ride to school. After a very stern look at me and then the car, Mr Henning simply scoffed, “No, thank you… I will walk.” While it was not my intention, it was great to show Mr Henning that I had done okay for myself after turning professional at age 17.

The Northern Echo:

How many times did it take to pass your test?

I passed my test on the first try. My older sister Wilma would take me out in an old stick-shift Mini Cooper to the parking lot of the Crown Mines building where our father worked to practice. I suppose I learned rather quickly with her help.

Who would be your ideal fantasy passenger and where would you go?

I cannot just pick one. I would have to have Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Sir Winston Churchill. We would take the new Bentley Mulsanne from Johannesburg to Cape Town, which is a very scenic drive through the Great Karoo of South Africa. We would stop at my stud farm in the Karoo where I would love to talk with each of those four wonderful people for hours and hours.

What is your dream car?

On my farm, I currently drive the new black supercharged Range Rover, which is perfect for the stud farm. Like I said on my drive with friends, I would take the Bentley Mulsanne. What a remarkable car. Now if I were in the Mille Miglia, I would have to choose the Mercedes Gullwing from the 1950s. That would be quite a ride.

How would you describe your driving style?

I would say that I am a perfect gentleman. My wife Vivienne would beg to differ. She says I drive far too quickly and perhaps a bit recklessly on occasion.

Tell me one driving anecdote from your past?

I once won a tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. A fellow pro said to me, “Take my Cadillac and drive it to the next tournament. I’ll meet you there”. I was so excited. So I just get on the road, and suddenly the wipers start going for no reason, and I can’t get them to stop. So I stop the car, take out my shoelaces and tie them down. Then a few miles further, the bonnet jumps up for no reason. Again I stopped, and this time I took my belt and tied it down. A few more miles down the road, the car broke down. A local farmer towed me into town with his tractor. When I finally got to the next tournament, I took the keys to the gentleman and said: “Thanks, but you can have your damn Cadillac”.

What is playing on your in car iPod or CD player at the moment?

I love a cross-section of music from pop to country. At the moment, I have “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash, Elvis, The Best of Pavarotti, Adele, and Jay Z’s ‘The Blueprint 3’ playing. Adele has such a beautiful voice. I love her music. I also love the ‘Empire State of Mind’ song by Jay Z and Alicia Keys.

What do you drive now?

I have the aforementioned black supercharged Range Rover on my farm in South Africa and a Mercedes CL at my home in Jupiter Island, Florida in the USA.