Not even a triple-bogey finish could stop Louis Liebenberg from winning his breakthrough Betway Big Easy Tour title at Krugersdorp Golf Club on Thursday.
Liebenberg, who plays out of Glenvista Country Club, along with Centurion Country Club’s Charl Barnard, were three shots clear of the field coming into the final round if this 54-hole event. Barnard struggled to get going and eventually shot an unwanted 81 while Liebenberg soared to the summit of the leaderboard.
He was four-under through 17 on the day and 11-under for the week when he stepped onto the 18th. And he was leading by five shots. Then trouble struck.
“I just blocked one right on the 18th,” Liebenberg recounted what led to that triple-bogey he made on the last. “A little bit right into the trees, and we didn’t find it. Luckily, my brother (and his caddie on the day) told me to calm down; that I had a five-shot lead. We are looking good; you just need to find the fairway, hit it somewhere up there and finish it off.
“But, I’m very happy. This is the first time I’ve played a final round and felt like I had control over my nerves. I’ve been in this position a few times; the final group, and then I would just fall apart. To get it done feels really good.”
He eventually signed for a final-round 71, taking his tournament total to eight-under and handing him a two-stroke victory over Daniel Cronje. He credited his flat stick for his title-winning performance.
“I’ve always considered myself a good putter, it’s just the rest of the stuff that’s a bit of a problem sometimes,” he said. “I could always rely on my putter and this week; it’s probably been the best that it’s ever been.”
Liebenberg was understandably relieved to claim his first win on this Sunshine Tour feeder circuit, especially given the struggles he’s had on the course this season.
“I struggled at the start of the season, to be honest,” he admitted. “I’d made only two cuts before this week. So, to get a win this week, kind of out of nowhere; because I have not been showing any signs of this kind of golf. This is a bit of a relief but I always kind of knew that I could win out here, so it just feels incredible.”
Liebenberg’s win has moved him to 12th on the Order of Merit and he will aim to keep rising up the rankings if he is to earn one of the 12 Sunshine Tour cards awarded to the leading 12 players when the season ends.
The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit and enjoys the support of the legendary Ernie Els, among other patrons.
SCORES:
208 - Louis Liebenberg 68 69 71
210 - Daniel Cronje 67 74 69
212 - Minjun Heo 74 68 70
212 - Jordan Wessels 67 73 72
213 - Dillon Germshuys 71 74 68
215 - Brandon Gildenhuys 73 73 69
216 - Travis Procter 72 70 74
216 - Christian Kriek 70 75 71, Wandre Snyman 70 71 75, Keegan Mclachlan 71 69 76
217 - Matthew Mortimer 75 69 73
217 - Jaco Anderson 72 72 73, Khanya Mkhize 72 73 72
218 - Simon du Plooy 75 69 74
218 - Werner Deyzel 72 73 73, Charl Barnard 69 68 81, Ruan Groenewald 73 73 72
219 - Vaughn van Deventer 72 72 75
219 - Callum Mowat 75 68 76, Ruan de Smidt 75 70 74, Haydn Driver 71 75 73
220 - Oliver Goldhill 72 71 77
220 - Carl Mwale 72 74 74
221 - Franklin Manchest 74 72 75
221 - Sentanio Minnie 74 72 75
222 - Ruben Van Der Berg 71 71 80
222 - Jaden Deltel 73 73 76
224 - Ryan Tipping 74 70 80
226 - Tristan Leonard 73 72 81
WDN - Musiwalo Nethunzwi 76 69 WDN
MISSED THE CUT:
147 - Francois van Staden 75 72
147 - Thabiso Ngcobo 71 76, Sean Cronje 74 73, Grant Ferreira 72 75, Jastice Mashego 73 74, Teboho Sefatsa 74 73, Ethan Gough 73 74, Rigardt Albertse 71 76, Philip Geerts 74 73, Therion Nel 75 72
148 - Dylan Kayne 71 77
148 - Kayle Wykes 72 76, Shaunak Rama 75 73, Hannes Strooh 70 78, Makhetha Mazibuko 73 75, Joshua Koekemoer 72 76
149 - Slade Pickering 76 73
149 - Leon Visser 75 74, Drikus Joubert 77 72, Daniel Smith 73 76
150 - Josh Hirsch 72 78
150 - Ulrich van den Berg 77 73, Jake Bolton 81 69, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 74 76, Manav Mohanlal 75 75, Shaheed Patel 75 75, Cole Stevens 75 75, Brandon-Lee Geere 79 71, Thabang Simon 79 71
151 - Jonathan Wilsenach 73 78
151 - Pascal Gunther 75 76, Lyle Pedro 76 75, Otto Van Buynder 77 74, Nicko Venter 78 73
152 - Jan-Hendrik Nieuwoudt 74 78
152 - LB Boshoff 78 74, Joe Knox 75 77, Zachary Chegwidden 78 74, Tyron Davidowitz 75 77, Jason Froneman 73 79
153 - John Bele 74 79
153 - Sean Howell 77 76, Noel Anderson 77 76, Karabo Mokoena 75 78, Lwazi Gqira 77 76, Shaydon Johnson 78 75
154 - Eric Wowor 77 77
155 - Kyle Kistensamy 78 77
155 - Travis Ladner 76 79, Daniel Palmquist 76 79, Brandon-Jude Rennie 77 78, Kian Coetzer 80 75, Matthew Bennett 77 78, Jacquin Hess 77 78, Danie Van Niekerk 78 77, Jaydon Galant 79 76, Matthew Dennis 74 81
156 - David Waschefort 77 79
156 - James Truter 80 76, Alphius Kelapile 79 77, Kael Strydom 76 80
157 - Sipho Bujela 80 77
157 - Wiehan Van der Walt 75 82, Steven Le Roux 82 75, Umar Davids 77 80
158 - Sergio Arries 79 79
158 - Mandla Dlamini Jnr 82 76
159 - Tumelo Molloyi 81 78
160 - Richard Shi 74 86
161 - Shalan Govender 78 83
162 - Khaya Jika 82 80
162 - Mark Maart 81 81
163 - Robert Mavundla 80 83
163 - Yusuf Dadoo 82 81
164 - Ricco Motsa 85 79
165 - Chandler Shaw 82 83
166 - Maheshan Naidoo 82 84
169 - Jarryd Govender 87 82
WDN - Leon Vorster 71 WDN
WDN - CJ Van Wyk 80 WDN, Keelan Africa 87 WDN, Luke Truter 74 RTD, Vuyisani Makama 80 DSQ