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Roos was taken to the fifth hole of a sudden death playoff after finishing an 14-under-par 202 together with Chris Swanepoel and Anthony Michael.
When he sank a wriggly little three-footer for birdie on the 16th, he had earned himself the lion’s share of the R500 000 purse and the first world ranking points ever allocated to a 54-hole event as the Sunshine Tour’s ‘winter’ events are recognised by the Official World Golf Rankings body.
Although it’s only four points for a win – and 2.4 for second, 1.6 fo third ad 1.2 for fourth – the international recognition is important for the players and the Sunshine Tour.
And, with his wife Rhone on his bag for the last time as she starts a new job next week, those five holes were played under the hot bushveld sun.
“It was gruelling but I felt good in the playoff,” said Roos. “I felt relaxed, so I knew as long as I was in there, I had a good chance.”
He had to fight to get in there in the first place as Michael set the target in the clubhouse with a course record-equalling nine-under-par 63, as he matched the mark set by Richard Kaplan and by Jbe Kruger.
And then Swanepoel finished off a round of seven-under 65 to barge his way into contention with Michael, just as the man who looked for all the world as if he had the title sewn up, Warren Abery stumbled over the final two holes.
Abery slid from 14-under to 12 under as he pulled his tee shot on 17 out of bounds and made bogey there, and, shaken up, pushed his tee shot on 18 into the rough and he had no shot to the green and made bogey there too.
Dean Burmester almost joined the party in the playoff when he eagled 17 and very nearly chipped in for birdie on 18. He settled for a share of fifth with Ulrich van den Berg.
It was Roos’ third playoff victory for his third Sunshine Tour title – and his fourth playoff win overall as he won a title in Switzerland – and the experience showed as he remained calm throughout.
But getting into the playoff was a close-run thing as he made four birdies in the first 10 holes. In a barnstorming finish, though, he fought back: “I almost made eagle on 17 – I just lipped out low and it was a really good putt – and I made a good putt on 18 for birdie,” he said.
His putting was something he relied on all week. “I’ve felt good the whole week, making putts, so I knew I just had to hang in and something was going to happen,” he said.
After a quiet 2011, this tournament represented some redemption for a player who looked so good when he won his last title back in 2009. “I haven’t won in a couple of years, so it’s nice to get a bit of confidence going. I’m going to try and build on this and I’m excited about the rest of the year.”
Scores:
202 - Jake Roos 66 66 70 (won on 5th extra hole)
202 - Anthony Michael 72 67 63, Chris Swanepoel 66 71 65
203 - Ulrich van den Berg 68 66 69, Dean Burmester 68 66 69
204 - James Kamte 68 69 67, Warren Abery 67 67 70, Divan van den Heever 64 66 74
205 - Graham van der Merwe 70 70 65, Doug McGuigan 71 67 67, Allan Versfeld 70 67 68
206 - Albert Pistorius 69 68 69, Danie van Tonder 67 69 70
207 - Louis de Jager 68 71 68, Mark Williams 68 70 69, Charl Coetzee 68 66 73
208 - Oliver Bekker 72 68 68, Neil Cheetham (ENG) 65 74 69
209 - Shaun Norris 70 72 67, Bryce Easton 70 71 68, Grant Muller 70 71 68, Vaughn Groenewald 71 69 69, Andrew Georgiou 69 70 70
210 - Des Terblanche 68 72 70, Divan Gerber 68 71 71
211 - Titch Moore 72 70 69, Brandon Pieters 69 73 69
212 - Steven Ferreira 69 72 71, Martin du Toit 70 69 73
213 - Neil Schietekat 71 69 73, Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 72 68 73
214 - Theunis Spangenberg 71 71 72, Daniel Greene 72 70 72, Justin Harding 73 68 73, Dean O'Riley 69 72 73, Matthew Carvell 73 68 73, Colin Nel 68 72 74
215 - Tyrone Ferreira 68 73 74, Brett Liddle 68 73 74
217 - Justin Walters 71 71 75, Thabang Simon 69 72 76
219 - Morne Buys 70 72 77
220 - Joshua Cunliffe 69 72 79
223 - Mark Murless 71 71 81
