Kaplan was born in Johannesburg and currently lives in Sandton, Johannesburg with his wife and two children. He had a decorated amateur career during the 1980s, which included winning the English Men's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship (Brabazon Trophy) in 1986 and the Southern Transvaal Open Strokeplay in 1984. He also earned his Springbok colors four times.
Kaplan turned professional in 1986 and won for the first time on the Sunshine Tour in 1995. He added three more tour wins between then and 2000. His best year-end finish on the Order of Merit was 9th in 1993, 1994 and 1995.
Kaplan has also competed on the Asian Tour where, in 1996, he won the Royal Thai Classic and finished in the top 20 on the Order of Merit.
Speaking in an interview, Kaplan said that his heroes are Jack Nicklaus because "he's the greatest" and Tiger Woods because "he's becoming the greatest".[citation needed]
Theodore Ernest Els is a South African professional golfer. A former World No. 1, he is nicknamed "The Big Easy" due to his physical stature along with his fluid golf swing. Among his more than 70 career victories are four major championships: the U.S. Open in 1994 at Oakmont and in 1997 at Congressional, and The Open Championship in 2002 at Muirfield and in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. He is one of six golfers to twice win both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship.
Retief Goosen is a South African professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He has won two U.S. Opens, in 2001 and 2004, headed the European Tour Order of Merit in 2001 and 2002, and was in the top ten of the world rankings for over 250 weeks between 2001 and 2007. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame, class of 2019.
Charl Adriaan Schwartzel is a South African professional golfer who currently plays in the LIV Golf Invitational Series and has previously played on the PGA Tour, European Tour and the Sunshine Tour. He has won one major title, the Masters in 2011. Schwartzel's highest world ranking has been number six, after finishing in a tie for fourth at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in 2012.
Stephen James Gallacher is a Scottish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour.
Patricia Mary "Trish" Johnson is an English professional golfer.
Richard Sterne is a South African professional golfer who plays on both the European and Sunshine Tours.
Clinton John Whitelaw is a South African professional golfer.
Andrew Dodt is an Australian professional golfer who plays on the European Tour, Asian Tour, and PGA Tour of Australasia. He has won twice on the European Tour, in India and Thailand, both events co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour.
James Bongani Kamte, nicknamed "Cobra", is a South African professional golfer. He has played on the Sunshine Tour, Challenge Tour, European Tour, and Asian Tour. He earned his tour card for the 2008 European Tour season by finishing in the top 30 of the qualifying school.
Trevor Richard "Titch" Moore is a South African professional golfer. He currently plays on the Sunshine Tour, where he has won seven times between 2000 and 2007.
Stephen Daniel van Vuuren is a South African professional golfer who currently plays on the Sunshine Tour. He won six times on the Sunshine Tour between 1995 and 2007.
Justin Richard Hobday is a South African professional golfer who has won eleven official money events on the Sunshine Tour.
Christopher Gary Williams is an English-born golfer who currently lives in South Africa. Williams has won seven times on the Sunshine Tour.
Branden John Grace is a professional golfer from South Africa who currently plays for LIV Golf. He formerly played on the European Tour, the PGA Tour, and the Sunshine Tour. In 2012, he became the first player in the history of the European Tour to win his first four European Tour titles in the same year.
George William Coetzee is a South African professional golfer. He has won five tournaments on the European Tour and 14 on the Sunshine Tour, where he has also topped the Order of Merit on two occasions.
Louis de Jager is a professional golfer from South Africa playing on the Sunshine Tour.
Ulrich van den Berg is a South African professional golfer.
Scott Jamieson is a Scottish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour.
Justin Adam Harding is a South African professional golfer.
Wilco Nienaber is a South African professional golfer. He won the 2021 Dimension Data Pro-Am. He plays on the European Tour and is known for his long distance off the tee.
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