Jacques Kruyswijk won his first Sunshine Tour title in the Cape and he got engaged in the Cape. So it seemed hardly surprising that a windy final round and a two-hole playoff should go his way as he won the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Devonvale Golf & Wine Estate on Sunday.
In the tough conditions of a strong wind sweeping through the winelands, Kruyswijk beat George Coetzee with a par on the second hole of their playoff to claim the fourth Sunshine Tour title of his career. It was also the first of his victories that his mother was able to witness in person.
“It’s always special to win. Cape Town has always been good to me, and it was nice to come out on top this week,” said Kruyswijk.
Kruyswijk led by two shots going into the final round, but he and Coetzee were tied as they headed into a difficult back nine. Kruyswijk was one ahead playing the par-four 18th straight into the wind, and he made double bogey while Coetzee bogeyed the hole for them to finish regulation play tied on 10 under par with rounds of 73 and 71, respectively.
Both parred the 18th as the first playoff hole, before Kruyswijk took the title.
'STRONG MINDSET'
“I was fresh off a double bogey going into the playoff, which is never great. It felt like I threw it away there, but that last hole was playing ridiculously tough. I pulled myself together on the tee-off and knew I still had a chance. I kept a strong mindset.
"I was hoping to bank on my experience today and I think it showed quite a lot on certain holes. Kudos to George. What a great battle out there. His experience also showed. But man, I’m happy to come out on top this week.”
The victory is Kruyswijk’s second on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series.
Gabrielle Venter finished as the leading Sunshine Ladies Tour professional on four over par with a final round of 77.
SCORES
203 - Jacques Kruyswijk 68 62 73 WN, George Coetzee 67 65 71 KO
204 - Zander Lombard 64 70 70
205 - Stuart Krog 68 70 67, Altin van der Merwe 66 68 71
206 - Lyle Rowe 71 67 68
207 - Pieter Moolman 70 71 66, Jaco Prinsloo 68 71 68, Jacques Blaauw 70 69 68, James Mack 70 68 69, Paul Boshoff 68 69 70, Austin Bautista 68 68 71, Herman Loubser 68 66 73
208 - Kian Rose 69 71 68, Xander Basson 71 69 68, Jack Hawksby 69 71 68, Graham van der Merwe 70 67 71, Keenan Davidse 67 70 71, Rupert Kaminski 71 66 71, Louis Albertse 68 68 72, Stephen Ferreira 67 69 72, Jean-Paul Strydom 69 66 73, Ryan Van Velzen 68 64 76
209 - Tristen Strydom 74 67 68, Ricky Hendler 71 70 68, Rowan Lester 72 68 69, Jason Roets 68 72 69, JJ Senekal 71 68 70, Ruan Conradie 71 67 71, Christiaan Basson 71 67 71, Yurav Premlall 67 71 71, Mikkel Antonsen 68 70 71, Keagan Thomas 70 67 72, Ryan van der Klis 69 67 73, Kyle Barker 69 66 74
210 - Estiaan Conradie 69 72 69, Allen John 70 71 69, Toto Thimba Jnr 71 70 69, Keegan Mclachlan 70 70 70, Heinrich Bruiners 72 68 70, Luis Carrera 70 69 71, Neil Schietekat 69 67 74
211 - Sentanio Minnie 69 71 71
212 - CJ du Plessis 70 71 71, Albert Venter 69 71 72
213 - Hennie Otto 71 70 72, Ethan Smith 70 71 72, Jordan Burnand 69 71 73, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 69 67 77
214 - Marcus Sandile Taylor 72 69 73, Ivan Verster 70 71 73, Hennie O'Kennedy 71 69 74
215 - Pierre Viallaneix 73 67 75
216 - Joe Long 69 71 76, Ronald Rugumayo 69 70 77
217 - Dylan Mostert 71 69 77, Gabrielle Venter 69 71 77
218 - Dwayne Basson 70 71 77
Missed the cut:-
142 - Robson Chinhoi 71 71, Rhys West 71 71, Quintin Wilsnach 75 67, Samuel Simpson 71 71, Charl Barnard 74 68, Trevor Mahoney 72 70, Kyle McClatchie 71 71, Tyran Snyders 71 71, Oliver Bekker 70 72, Eric Wowor 71 71, Benjamin Van Wyk 68 74, James Pennington 70 72
143 - Ruan Korb 70 73, Stals Swart 71 72, Jacques P de Villiers 72 71, Slade Pickering 72 71, Christian Kriek 73 70, Jake Redman 70 73
144 - Tomas Gana 74 70, Joe Knox 68 76, Conner Mackenzie 74 70, Luke Brown 74 70, Franklin Manchest 75 69, Gregory Mckay 72 72, Zachary Chegwidden 74 70, Ruan de Smidt 70 74, Peter Karmis 76 68, Isabella van Rooyen 72 72, Jason Broomhead 72 72, Nyasha Muyambo 73 71
145 - Rourke van der Spuy 71 74, Kyle De Beer 77 68, Leon Vorster 74 71, Thomas Spreadborough 75 70, Danie Van Niekerk 70 75, Sean Cronje 73 72
146 - Brandon Meads 73 73, Tristin Galant 71 75
147 - Keanu Pestana 73 74, Christiaan Burke 74 73, Nick Cunningham 77 70, Ruan Groenewald 75 72
148 - Gregg Upton 72 76, Luke Mayo 72 76, Liam Grehan 77 71, Wynand Dingle 76 72, Gerhard Pepler 71 77, Khaya Jika 71 77, Jordan Duminy 77 71, Luke Jerling 71 77
149 - Otto Van Buynder 76 73, Matthew Spacey 77 72, Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa 77 72
150 - Hayden Griffiths 75 75, Cara Gorlei 79 71, Cara Ford 76 74, Warwick Purchase 80 70
151 - Keelan Africa 76 75, Doug McGuigan 76 75, Karabo Mokoena 79 72, Richard Kruger 76 75
152 - Umar Davids 77 75, Matthew Dennis 75 77, Gavin Vorster 77 75
153 - Hayden Garcia 79 74, M.S. Calitz 79 74
154 - Tyron Davidowitz 74 80
157 - Stian Oosthuizen 79 78, Terence Coutinho 79 78
159 - Bronwyn Doeg 79 80
160 - Leontine Petit 83 77
162 - Neil Whitehorn 77 85
167 - Tara Baglione 84 83