Kyle Barker claimed his second Sunshine Tour title this year when he won the Vodacom Origins of Golf in a playoff at the Devonvale Golf and Wine Estate on Sunday.
Barker produced a strong final round of 65 and finished tied for the lead with Pieter Moolman on 10 under par 203 Barker then birdied the first playoff hole as Moolman parred. Martin Rohwer finished third on eight under par.
It was a thrilling finish to a tournament Moolman seemed destined to win having led after day one and then taking a commanding six-stroke lead into the final round, and with Barker starting seven shots off the lead.
But on a day when Barker went out in 30 to make his charge and then parred his way through the back nine, Moolman stumbled to a closing one over par 72.
Moolman still managed to force his way into the playoff with a crucial birdie on the par-four 18th but couldn’t match Barker thereafter.
“I was seven shots behind and I knew I had to do something special. I made six birdies on that front nine and it really helped me. Nothing wanted to drop on the back nine but I hit top quality golf shots. Then I finished the 18th and we thought I’d won and my friend had already sprayed champagne on me, and I’d had a few sips. But there was a mistake on the leaderboard and then I was told Pieter had made birdie on the last to take it to a playoff. So I had to get to the tee for the playoff. Luckily I made a great birdie there,” said Barker.
The victory is Barker’s second this year following his breakthrough triumph in the Stella Artois Players Championship in April
“It feels amazing to have won again. I had so much energy this week.”
The victory is also a timely one with Barker planning for a wedding at the end of this year.
“Now I can pay for the photographer and the flowers.”
FINAL ROUND SCORES (* WON IN PLAYOFF):
203 - *Kyle Barker, Pieter Moolman
205 - Martin Rohwer
206 - Yurav Premlall, Nikhil Rama
207 - Stefan Wears-Taylor, Jake Redman, Gerhard Pepler, Luca Filippi, Pierre Pellegrin, CJ du Plessis
208 - Louis Albertse, Robin Williams, Jean Hugo, Albert Venter
210 - Peter Karmis, Jordan Duminy, Kyle De Beer
211 - Matthew Spacey, Rhys West, Christiaan Basson, Dayne Moore, Ricky Hendler, Wynand Dingle, Ryan Van Velzen, Ruan Korb, Christiaan Burke
212 - Ruan Conradie, Gerhard Trytsman, Toto Thimba Jnr, Hennie Otto, Erhard Lambrechts, Jacquin Hess, Rupert Kaminski
213 - Fredrik From, James Mack, Otto Van Buynder, Estiaan Conradie, Luke Trocado, Quintin Wilsnach, Lyle Rowe
214 - Ronald Rugumayo, Kyle McClatchie, Hennie O'Kennedy, Franklin Manchest, Clancy Waugh
215 - Merrick Bremner
216 - Rigardt Albertse, Michael Kok, Hunter Epson
217 - Madalitso Muthiya, Trevor Fisher Jnr
221 - Neil Whitehorn