CJ du Plessis was able to neutralise the considerable threat posed by Jean Hugo and Neil Schietekat, as well as the pressure of his own expectations, as an extraordinary finish saw the 32-year-old claim his first Sunshine Tour title with a one-stroke victory in the SunBet Challenge Wild Coast at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club on Saturday.
Heading to the 16th green one stroke behind Hugo, Du Plessis notched a sensational eagle as he drained what he later described as "a 100-foot putt right across the whole green that somehow found the bottom of the cup".
Hugo birdied the par-five so the duo were all-square when they reached the final hole. Du Plessis's drive was too far left, however, and found a fairway bunker.
But the Silver Lakes Country Club golfer hit a tremendous seven-iron to 12 feet of the hole and made the putt for birdie, his six-under 64 lifting him to 11-under-par for the tournament.
When Hugo could only make par, Du Plessis had his first win in his 193rd tournament and following five runner-up finishes.
That winning moment for CJ du Plessis ??#GreatnessBeginsHere #SunshineTour #SunBetChallengeWildCoast #sunbetchallenge pic.twitter.com/cjFCbd0g92
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) July 22, 2023
His remarkable feat left him and many others feeling that this victory was maybe just meant to be.
"I'm ecstatic," Du Plessis said. "I knew it was going to be a tough day and Jean and Neil would fight all the way, they're not guys to just give it to you. But it was a phenomenal finish.
"This win was written in the stars. My coach for the last 20-odd years, Raymond Earle, passed away last week and this win is 100 per cent for him. This morning, while I was having my coffee and it was still dark, I saw a shooting star and thought maybe today would be a special day. Sometimes it's just meant to be," Du Plessis said.
CJ joins the Sunshine Tour winners circle ??#GreatnessBeginsHere #SunshineTour #SunBetChallengeWildCoast #sunbetchallenge pic.twitter.com/vupMSve4xS
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) July 22, 2023
Schietekat, the 39-year-old current leader of the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy, just could not get going in the final round, two birdies in the last three holes giving him a one-under 69 that left him on seven-under for the tournament, four strokes behind Du Plessis.
But whether it was going to be 21-time winner Hugo or Du Plessis who would claim the R300 000 first prize was an enthralling battle.
Du Plessis, who began the day one behind, went two ahead with birdies on the first, third and fourth holes, while Hugo could only make pars.
But the tables were turned by the time the duo began the back nine, Hugo having birdied the par-three sixth and par-four ninth holes.
Du Plessis suffered a double-bogey at the par-three eighth as he over-compensated for the water on the left, but he levelled matters again with birdies on the 11th and 12th
holes.
Hugo collected further birdies on the 13th and 16th holes and did little wrong in a bogey-free round of 66. But the 47-year-old just could not match the fantastic finish by Du Plessis.
For the champion, there will be no more uncertainty over whether he can win or not.
"My driving was not the best today, but my short game and putting really pulled me through. I've been working really hard on that with Robbie Stewart, my short-game coach.
"Expectations have killed me so many times before, but today I just stuck with my routines and I knew I would be up there if I did that. This win takes so much pressure off, it's life-changing. I can now prepare for the big events without having to pre-qualify," Du Plessis said.
SCORES:
199 - CJ du Plessis 68 67 64
200 - Jean Hugo 66 68 66
203 - Neil Schietekat 69 65 69
207 - DK Kim 70 69 68, Peter Karmis 72 66 69
209 - Malcolm Mitchell 71 69 69, Callum Mowat 70 69 70, Hennie du Plessis 72 65 72, Jared Harvey 73 71 65
210 - James Hart du Preez 74 67 69, Matthew Spacey 74 67 69, Jonathan Broomhead 70 69 71, Jaco Van Zyl 68 70 72, Daniel van Tonder 69 68 73, Jacques P de Villiers 73 70 67, Anthony Michael 75 68 67
211 - Hennie O'Kennedy 75 67 69, James Mack 72 69 70, Combrinck Smit 72 69 70, Rupert Kaminski 78 68 65, Clancy Waugh 70 73 68
212 - Ruan Korb 74 73 65, Christiaan Basson 76 70 66, Dan Erickson 77 67 68
213 - Gregory Mckay 75 71 67, Louis Albertse 73 72 68, Erhard Lambrechts 75 69 69
214 - Madalitso Muthiya 72 70 72, Gerhard Pepler 75 67 72, Tristin Galant 72 75 67, Jovan Rebula 74 73 67, Keelan van Wyk 75 68 71
215 - Estiaan Conradie 78 69 68, Musiwalo Nethunzwi 72 74 69
216 - Ricky Hendler 77 69 70, Keegan Mclachlan 73 72 71, Rourke van der Spuy 70 75 71, Luca Filippi 79 66 71, Keagan Thomas 71 73 72, Makhetha Mazibuko 71 73 72, Colin Nel 74 69 73
217 - Albert Venter 78 69 70, Ruan de Smidt 75 71 71, Leon Visser 73 72 72, Toto Thimba Jnr 70 73 74
218 - Tyron Davidowitz 76 71 71, Quintin Wilsnach 75 70 73
219 - Siyanda Mwandla 75 72 72, Merrick Bremner 72 74 73
220 - Sentanio Minnie 76 71 73, Jason Roets 73 73 74, Jonathan Waschefort 78 68 74
222 - Jean-Paul Strydom 70 75 77
223 - Stefan Wears-Taylor 74 72 77
230 - Alphius Kelapile 77 70 83
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