At the end of a stunningly composed week, Jonathan Broomhead showed his first bit of emotion when he hugged his caddie and girlfriend after claiming the third victory of his Sunshine Tour career and his second this season in the Blue Label Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club on Saturday.
Broomhead completed a wire-to-wire triumph and won by four points on a total of 45 points overall as part of the modified Stableford scoring system used for this tournament.
“The last few months have just been unreal,” said the 23-year-old Broomhead. “From the Tour Championship (last season) it kind of kicked off from there, and having my girlfriend Kaylan on the bag – I wouldn’t want anyone else.”
It has indeed been an incredible start to his professional career. After winning the Tour Championship delivered by The Courier Guy as a Sunshine Tour rookie last season, Broomhead added the Vodacom Origins of Golf at the Wild Coast Sun last month, and then this triumph at Sun City.
And this week he played with a composure that suggested he’s been out here for years.
The Durban professional opened with 19 points at the Gary Player Country Club in the first round, added a further 12 points at the Lost City Golf Course in the second round, and then signed off at the Gary Player Country Club with seven points in round three and seven points in Saturday’s final round.
Even when South Africa’s Ricky Hendler, who finished second on 41 points, pushed him with a fast start of three consecutive birdies to immediately narrow his overnight lead, Broomhead remained calm.
“I played nicely the whole day. I kept my head strong and did what I needed to do. Ricky (Hendler) came at us hot but we kept our heads,” said Broomhead.
Broomhead’s victory moved him into second place behind Daniel van Tonder on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy.