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Ezulwini - Jake Roos was in a league of his own at the Royal Swazi Golf Club on Sunday, and shot 63 to reach 17-under-par and force a playoff for the Lombard Insurance Classic title, which he won on the first playoff hole.
“You get those days where you’re in the zone. You just plod along, even though everything is going your way, and don’t think about it too much. You don’t get those days often, so when they come around you just flow with it,” he said.
The 31-year-old had a superb finish en route to the playoff - he chipped-in for eagle at the 17th and birdied the 18th to draw level with defending champion Justin Harding at 17-under-par.
“It’s really a fairytale story,” said Roos. “I didn’t have any expectations at the start of the round, I just tried to move as far up as possible. Then I climaxed at the end with an eagle-birdie finish.”
And after that finish he and Harding headed back to the 18th tee. Harding hit a wayward shot right of the green, which left Roos with an opportunity. Having already won in a playoff for the Platinum Classic in March, Roos knew just how to close out the tournament.
“The playoffs have been good to me, so I’m grateful. After Justin hit it to the right I just tried to play a little more conservatively and hit it below the flag and on the green. That worked out perfectly, and then I had a 20-footer, and I went for it. It lipped out, but things went well for me.
The Centurion Country Club professional has been working hard on his game, and has reaped the rewards throughout the year.
“I’ve started with new coaching staff at Serengeti, Doug Wood and Garth Milner. My swing seems to be a lot more consistent this year and I feel like my ball striking is putting me into positions were I can contend,” he said.
Roos couldn’t have been happier on any front: Even on the personal side this win couldn’t have come at a better time. “My wife was here this week with me. It was her birthday, and then we found out a couple of weeks ago that she is pregnant. We’re excited about starting a family together and the timing couldn’t have been better. We have some money now to buy nappies,” he joked.
With his third Sunshine Tour win under his belt, the new Lombard Insurance Classic champion looked set for a great year and a solid future at the top of Sunshine Tour leaderboards.
Scores (RSA unless otherwise specified):
199 - Jake Roos 66 70 63
199 - Justin Harding 68 64 67
202 - Andrew Georgiou 65 67 70
204 - Mark Murless 66 70 68, Jacques Blaauw 67 67 70
205 - Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 71 66 68, Albert Pistorius 66 70 69, Jean Hugo 65 68 72
206 - Jaco Ahlers 69 71 66, Louis de Jager 69 67 70
207 - Justin Walters 69 70 68, David Hewan 68 70 69
208 - Matthew Carvell 71 68 69, Ryan Tipping 67 70 71
209 - Brandon Pieters 70 70 69, Tyrone Ryan 68 72 69, Danie van Tonder 68 71 70, Oliver Bekker 69 70 70, Ulrich van den Berg 74 67 68,Desvonde Botes 72 70 67, Michiel Bothma 70 66 73, Charl Coetzee 69 73 67, Neil Cheetham (ENG) 71 73 65, Christiaan Basson 68 67 74
210 - Doug McGuigan 70 69 71, Des Terblanche 69 71 70, Dean O'Riley 71 69 70, Johan du Buisson 69 69 72, Merrick Bremner 68 69 73,Andrew Curlewis 71 71 68, Lindani Ndwandwe 71 71 68, Attie Schwartzel 69 68 73, Divan van den Heever 68 68 74, Ockie Strydom 74 69 67
211 - Allan Versfeld 70 69 72, PH McIntyre 66 72 73, Colin Nel 68 70 73, Tyrone Mordt 69 68 74, Bradford Vaughan 70 72 69
212 - Michael Hollick 74 67 71, Peter Karmis 71 69 72, Bryce Easton 71 70 71
213 - Toto Thimba (Jnr) 70 69 74, Joshua Cunliffe 72 68 73, Neil Schietekat 71 71 71, Omar Sandys 72 72 69
214 - Wallie Coetsee 71 72 71
216 - Andre Cruse 70 72 74, Thabang Simon 74 68 74
217 - JG Claassen 72 72 73
220 - Trevor Fisher Jnr 75 69 76
“You get those days where you’re in the zone. You just plod along, even though everything is going your way, and don’t think about it too much. You don’t get those days often, so when they come around you just flow with it,” he said.
The 31-year-old had a superb finish en route to the playoff - he chipped-in for eagle at the 17th and birdied the 18th to draw level with defending champion Justin Harding at 17-under-par.
“It’s really a fairytale story,” said Roos. “I didn’t have any expectations at the start of the round, I just tried to move as far up as possible. Then I climaxed at the end with an eagle-birdie finish.”
And after that finish he and Harding headed back to the 18th tee. Harding hit a wayward shot right of the green, which left Roos with an opportunity. Having already won in a playoff for the Platinum Classic in March, Roos knew just how to close out the tournament.
“The playoffs have been good to me, so I’m grateful. After Justin hit it to the right I just tried to play a little more conservatively and hit it below the flag and on the green. That worked out perfectly, and then I had a 20-footer, and I went for it. It lipped out, but things went well for me.
The Centurion Country Club professional has been working hard on his game, and has reaped the rewards throughout the year.
“I’ve started with new coaching staff at Serengeti, Doug Wood and Garth Milner. My swing seems to be a lot more consistent this year and I feel like my ball striking is putting me into positions were I can contend,” he said.
Roos couldn’t have been happier on any front: Even on the personal side this win couldn’t have come at a better time. “My wife was here this week with me. It was her birthday, and then we found out a couple of weeks ago that she is pregnant. We’re excited about starting a family together and the timing couldn’t have been better. We have some money now to buy nappies,” he joked.
With his third Sunshine Tour win under his belt, the new Lombard Insurance Classic champion looked set for a great year and a solid future at the top of Sunshine Tour leaderboards.
Scores (RSA unless otherwise specified):
199 - Jake Roos 66 70 63
199 - Justin Harding 68 64 67
202 - Andrew Georgiou 65 67 70
204 - Mark Murless 66 70 68, Jacques Blaauw 67 67 70
205 - Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 71 66 68, Albert Pistorius 66 70 69, Jean Hugo 65 68 72
206 - Jaco Ahlers 69 71 66, Louis de Jager 69 67 70
207 - Justin Walters 69 70 68, David Hewan 68 70 69
208 - Matthew Carvell 71 68 69, Ryan Tipping 67 70 71
209 - Brandon Pieters 70 70 69, Tyrone Ryan 68 72 69, Danie van Tonder 68 71 70, Oliver Bekker 69 70 70, Ulrich van den Berg 74 67 68,Desvonde Botes 72 70 67, Michiel Bothma 70 66 73, Charl Coetzee 69 73 67, Neil Cheetham (ENG) 71 73 65, Christiaan Basson 68 67 74
210 - Doug McGuigan 70 69 71, Des Terblanche 69 71 70, Dean O'Riley 71 69 70, Johan du Buisson 69 69 72, Merrick Bremner 68 69 73,Andrew Curlewis 71 71 68, Lindani Ndwandwe 71 71 68, Attie Schwartzel 69 68 73, Divan van den Heever 68 68 74, Ockie Strydom 74 69 67
211 - Allan Versfeld 70 69 72, PH McIntyre 66 72 73, Colin Nel 68 70 73, Tyrone Mordt 69 68 74, Bradford Vaughan 70 72 69
212 - Michael Hollick 74 67 71, Peter Karmis 71 69 72, Bryce Easton 71 70 71
213 - Toto Thimba (Jnr) 70 69 74, Joshua Cunliffe 72 68 73, Neil Schietekat 71 71 71, Omar Sandys 72 72 69
214 - Wallie Coetsee 71 72 71
216 - Andre Cruse 70 72 74, Thabang Simon 74 68 74
217 - JG Claassen 72 72 73
220 - Trevor Fisher Jnr 75 69 76
