Prior to his dramatic win on Sunday in the Volvo Golf Champions in South Africa, world number four and local hero Louis Oosthuizen had the best Friday of his life. Not only did he move into the lead in the tournament, but he also received the keys to the very thing that he has coveted for two years – a Volvo EC55B Compact Excavator.
A very special feature on the second day of the Volvo Golf Champions was the Amateur-Pro Team Competition, giving Volvo’s customers the unique thrill of playing together with the pros during the actual professional tournament, live on TV and broadcast to approximately 150 countries. For Volvo’s customers this is clearly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but there is a healthy incentive for the professionals as well; both pros in the victorious team win themselves a Volvo V40 car.
After an exciting day, the team consisting of Thongchai Jaidee, Louis Oosthuizen and amateur Colin Ledwith from the UK won on the final green. Jaidee was ecstatic to win his first car, but Oosthuizen had his eye on something else. The pro lost his heart to a Volvo Compact Excavator EC55B which he first saw at the Volvo China Open in 2010. Imagine his joy when he received the good news that Volvo agreed to swap the car for the excavator he desired so much.
“It’s a great gift for the farm and it’s going to be a lot of fun playing around with it,” he said. “I’ve got loads of great equipment on the farm, but this is going to be right up there to get rid of the bushes.