Heinrich Bruiners woke up at 1:30am on the day of the final round of the Stella Artois Players Championship and had the number of eight under par in his mind.
Several hours later he shot an eight-under-par 64 to end an 11-year win drought with his emotional victory in this Sunshine Tour event at Dainfern Golf Estate on Sunday.
Bruiners birdied his final three holes to finish on 28 under par, one shot ahead of Jaco Ahlers (66), Michael Hollick (68) and Haydn Porteous (68).
The moment Heinrich Bruiners won the 2024 Stella Artois Championship. 🏆#StellaArtoisPlayersChamps | #GreatnessBeginsHere | #SunshineTour | @Heinie1 pic.twitter.com/rdn2ybX6PB
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) March 24, 2024
It was an emotional win for a man who has worked so hard to reclaim the form that saw him win the 2013 Vodacom Origins of Golf, and who has had to overcome a car accident, serious injury and sometimes even his own doubts as he’s fought his way back into the winner’s circle.
“It’s been such a long journey to stand with a trophy again. I never stopped believing, but it was tough. But everyone behind the scenes has been supporting me. The Nomads, the guys on the driving ranges – I’m so grateful for those who have been behind me. When you’re on top everybody wants to be part of the victory but there is a lot of darkness and searching to get to the top,” said Bruiners, who finished before the final group and was on the putting green preparing for a playoff before he broke down in tears when it was confirmed that he had won.
“I just want to thank everybody involved and everybody who supports the Sunshine Tour. My fellow professionals have stepped up to another level and it’s pushed me to work even harder. We all fight to get on the big stage and it’s really nice to stand here with a trophy. I told my girlfriend I’m going to do something special this week. It’s crazy. It’s written in the stars,” he said.
This week showcased some of the best scoring seen on the Sunshine Tour as players threatened to shoot 59 while a number of golfers had 29s for nine holes.
It was exactly the realisation of how the standard of golf is improving on the Sunshine Tour that Bruiners says pushed him to work even harder at his own game.
“Everyone has been playing so well and the standard of golf is unbelievable. I remember shooting four under at Glendower Golf Club in a regular Sunshine Tour event and finishing in the top 10. This year, four under on the same golf course was just the cut at the Jonsson Workwear Open. It’s unbelievable.”.
FINAL SCORES
260 - Heinrich Bruiners 64 65 67 64
261 - Jaco Ahlers 67 62 66 66, Michael Hollick 64 65 64 68, Haydn Porteous 64 66 63 68
262 - Keenan Davidse 64 66 63 69
263 - Jacques Blaauw 68 66 63 66
264 - Wynand Dingle 70 61 69 64, Ryan Van Velzen 70 63 67 64, Daniel van Tonder 64 71 64 65, Luke Jerling 66 67 64 67, JJ Senekal 69 62 65 68, Louis Albertse 66 66 64 68
265 - Neil Schietekat 69 64 66 66, Luca Filippi 65 67 66 67, MJ Viljoen 65 65 66 69, Joe Long 66 66 64 69
266 - Martin Vorster 69 64 68 65, Conner Mackenzie 70 65 65 66, Keelan van Wyk 66 66 66 68, Callum Mowat 66 64 67 69
267 - Luke Brown 70 66 66 65, Jovan Rebula 69 65 67 66, Robson Chinhoi 65 64 71 67
268 - Jonathan Broomhead 67 69 66 66, Darren Fichardt 67 66 68 67, Stuart Krog 66 67 66 69, Ruan Conradie 65 68 65 70, Rourke van der Spuy 63 67 67 71
269 - Jacques Kruyswijk 71 66 65 67
270 - Jake Roos 66 67 70 67, Malcolm Mitchell 67 67 68 68, Herman Loubser 66 71 65 68, Jean Hugo 65 65 71 69, Hennie O'Kennedy 66 64 71 69, Jack Hawksby 66 69 66 69, Jaco Van Zyl 66 68 66 70, Pierre Pellegrin 65 70 65 70, Nikhil Rama 71 62 66 71, Fredrik From 68 65 65 72, Deon Germishuys 65 67 65 73
271 - Jbe Kruger 68 69 68 66, JC Ritchie 66 69 67 69, Dylan Naidoo 71 65 64 71, Martin Rohwer 68 66 63 74
272 - Travis Ladner 68 67 70 67, Ricky Hendler 65 69 69 69
273 - Franklin Manchest 66 71 67 69, Sean Bradley 73 64 65 71
274 - Robin Williams 69 68 69 68, Ruan Korb 66 71 68 69, Harry Konig 67 64 72 71
275 - Albert Venter 72 64 69 70, Anton Karlsson 69 66 67 73, James Mack 68 67 66 74
276 - Lyle Rowe 68 68 70 70, Jason Roets 68 69 68 71, Thabiso Ngcobo 70 66 68 72, Stefan Wears-Taylor 66 68 69 73
277 - Hayden Griffiths 67 68 72 70, Trevor Fisher Jnr 67 68 70 72, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 67 70 66 74
278 - Jonathan Waschefort 73 63 72 70, Yurav Premlall 71 64 69 74, Tristen Strydom 66 69 66 77
279 - Tristin Galant 67 67 74 71
282 - Ethan Smith 69 67 75 71
286 - Gerhard Pepler 66 69 74 77, Visitor Mapwanya 70 66 71 79