Austin Bautista’s brilliant 62 during Friday’s final round of the Sunbet Challenge hosted by Wild Coast Sun secured the Australian his first title on the Sunshine Tour with a one-stroke victory on 14 under par.
“I am ecstatic and super happy to have won this week. It was a hard week, but securing the title was definitely worth the wait,” said Bautista.
He even managed to win despite drawing the short straw with his roommates this week.
“The boys I’m staying with gave me the worst bed, actually they put me on the couch. But I walked away with the silverware, so it was worth it in the end,” Bautista joked.
Bautista's form improved as the tournament progressed. He followed up his first round 69 with a second round score of 65. Heading into the final round only three shots behind the overall leader, Bautista opened his final round with five birdies in the first eight holes, followed by four more on the back nine. He dropped only one shot during his round.
"The Sunshine Tour is a great tour. We get to come to amazing places. The Wild Coast Sun is a beautiful layout - it's so challenging."
Bautista has been threatening a win this year, with two top-three finishes as well as an eigth-place finish leading up to this week.
Michael Hollick (66), who started the day with a one-stroke lead, finished second on 13 under par.
Samuel Simpson (66), the winner of the Mopani Zambia Open in June, shared third place with Lyle Rowe (67) on 10 under par.
SCORES
196 - Austin Bautista 69 65 62
197 - Michael Hollick 66 65 66
200 - Samuel Simpson 66 68 66, Lyle Rowe 68 65 67
201 - Herman Loubser 67 69 65, Joe Knox 63 69 69, Jacques P de Villiers 63 69 69
202 - Stuart Krog 70 69 63, Pieter Moolman 70 68 64, Kyle Barker 68 70 64
203 - Ruan Conradie 73 66 64
204 - Tyran Snyders 70 69 65, Trevor Fisher Jnr 69 67 68
205 - Thanda Mavundla 71 69 65, Gerhard Pepler 73 66 66, Anthony Michael 68 68 69, Kyle De Beer 71 64 70, Albert Venter 65 68 72
206 - Luke Jerling 72 68 66, Heinrich Bruiners 73 66 67, Christian Kriek 70 69 67, Allen John 70 69 67, Slade Pickering 68 69 69
207 - Rupert Kaminski 76 65 66, Estiaan Conradie 70 70 67, Christiaan Burke 68 71 68, Fredrik From 70 67 70
208 - Jean Hugo 74 66 68, Ryan van der Klis 71 69 68, Jason Roets 73 66 69, Rhys West 70 68 70
209 - Benjamin Van Wyk 75 66 68, Quintin Wilsnach 68 73 68, Alex Haindl 70 70 69, Jake Redman 67 72 70, Pierre Viallaneix 68 70 71
210 - Luke Brown 72 69 69, Warwick Purchase 69 72 69, Peter Karmis 71 69 70, MJ Viljoen 71 69 70, Malcolm Mitchell 69 70 71
211 - Kyle McClatchie 73 68 70, Ethan Smith 71 69 71, Stals Swart 72 68 71, James Mack 71 68 72
212 - Rourke van der Spuy 70 71 71
213 - Wynand Dingle 69 71 73
214 - Trevor Mahoney 69 72 73, Hayden Griffiths 73 66 75
217 - Jordan Duminy 76 65 76
MISSED THE CUT:-
142 - Jason Broomhead 75 67, Simon du Plooy 72 70, Jacques Blaauw 68 74, Jean-Paul Strydom 70 72, Graham van der Merwe 75 67, Keenan Davidse 72 70, Ruan Korb 68 74, Altin van der Merwe 70 72, Conner Mackenzie 72 70, Xander Basson 68 74
143 - Ruan de Smidt 72 71, Hennie O'Kennedy 72 71, Jacquin Hess 74 69, Sentanio Minnie 73 70, Kian Rose 73 70, Tomas Gana 76 67, Brandon Meads 73 70, Jordan Burnand 75 68, Tyron Davidowitz 73 70, Jacques Van der Merwe 72 71
144 - Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa 76 68, Thomas Spreadborough 74 70, Oliver Bekker 72 72, Musiwalo Nethunzwi 74 70, Makhetha Mazibuko 74 70, Sean Cronje 76 68, Liam Grehan 74 70, Tyrone Ryan 72 72, Matthew Spacey 73 71, JJ Senekal 75 69, Luis Carrera 74 70, Franklin Manchest 77 67
145 - Danie Van Niekerk 76 69, Colin Nel 70 75, Neil Schietekat 72 73, Robson Chinhoi 75 70, Keegan Mclachlan 75 70, Ruan Groenewald 70 75, Tristen Strydom 75 70, Jastice Mashego 74 71, Yurav Premlall 75 70, Dylan Mostert 74 71, Ricky Hendler 77 68, Keagan Thomas 76 69, Keanu Pestana 71 74
146 - Leon Vorster 73 73, Mikkel Antonsen 75 71, Rowan Lester 73 73
147 - Luke Mayo 74 73, Otto Van Buynder 70 77, Doug McGuigan 73 74, George Coetzee 75 72
148 - Nikhil Rama 79 69, Zachary Chegwidden 74 74, Ruben Van Der Berg 78 70
149 - David Amm 77 72, Logan Leisher 77 72, Karabo Mokoena 74 75
150 - Eric Wowor 69 81, Gregory Mckay 80 70
151 - Marcel Steyn Scholtz 79 72, Thabiso Ngcobo 77 74, Richard Kruger 79 72
152 - Werner Deyzel 76 76, Jonathan Waschefort 77 75, Christiaan Basson 78 74
153 - CJ du Plessis 84 69, Jonathan Broomhead 70 83, Nick Cunningham 77 76
155 - Lindani Ndwandwe 81 74, Toto Thimba Jnr 82 73
156 - Luca Filippi 75 81
158 - Umar Davids 80 78
159 - Robert Mavundla 82 77