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Port Edward - Louis de Jager overcame a triple-bogey start on his way to a 77 and then a playoff to win his second title on the Sunshine Tour in the Vodacom Origins of Golf presented by Samsung at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club on Friday.
De Jager was five shots clear of the field at the start of the round.
But he had to weather a difficult start and gusting winds before winning a three-way playoff with a par on the 18th.
"That was the first playoff of my career so I didn’t know what to expect, but I think that helped me in the end," said De Jager.
But it required all of the mental strength he could muster.
De Jager did well to compose himself after a difficult front nine where he saw his five-shot lead cut to two when he triple-bogeyed the first and double-bogeyed the fifth amidst two birdies on the second and ninth holes.
He had some breathing space early on the back nine, but then finished with five consecutive bogeys to drop into a tie with Jaco Ahlers and Haydn Porteous on two under.
He then took the title with a great drive and a good approach before two-putting.
"On the first I hit probably the worst shot of my tournament for my second, and it went into the hazard.
"It was very tough out there and I’m just glad I could pull it through.
"I just kept my head and stuck to my gameplan and it worked out in the end."
This is his first win since his maiden triumph in the 2009 Suncoast Classic further up the coast.
Scores (RSA unless otherwise specified):
208 - Louis de Jager 63 68 77
208 - Haydn Porteous 73 68 67, Jaco Ahlers 71 65 72
209 - Andrew Curlewis 78 65 66, CJ du Plessis 72 67 70, Danie van Tonder 72 66 71
210 - Jacques Blaauw 73 70 67, Christiaan Basson 71 70 69, Grant Muller 75 66 69, Keith Horne 70 69 71, Stuart Smith (BOT) 67 69 74
211 - Torben Baumann (GER) 76 69 66, Warren Abery 72 69 70, Daniel Greene 75 66 70, Jean Hugo 71 69 71
212 - Ulrich van den Berg 74 70 68, Jeff Inglis (ENG) 74 68 70, Wallie Coetsee 74 66 72, Tyrone Mordt 72 67 73
213 - Heinrich Bruiners 70 69 74, Jared Harvey 67 72 74, Colin Nel 73 66 74
214 - Andre Cruse 73 72 69, Bryce Easton 76 69 69, Michael Hollick 73 71 70, Matthew Carvell 71 71 72, James Kamte 68 73 73, Pieter Moolman 72 68 74
215 - Francois Coetzee 72 73 70, Mark Murless 77 68 70, Keenan Davidse 70 73 72
216 - Anthony Michael 76 68 72, Lyle Rowe 75 69 72, Allan Versfeld 72 72 72, Gideon Pienaar 75 69 72, Trevor Fisher Jnr 73 69 74, Neil Schietekat 69 72 75, Shaun Norris 69 69 78
217 - Oliver Bekker 73 71 73, Shaun Smith 73 71 73
221 - Tyrone Ryan 71 72 78, Titch Moore 72 68 81
222 - PH McIntyre 68 74 80, Bryce Bibby 70 71 81
De Jager was five shots clear of the field at the start of the round.
But he had to weather a difficult start and gusting winds before winning a three-way playoff with a par on the 18th.
"That was the first playoff of my career so I didn’t know what to expect, but I think that helped me in the end," said De Jager.
But it required all of the mental strength he could muster.
De Jager did well to compose himself after a difficult front nine where he saw his five-shot lead cut to two when he triple-bogeyed the first and double-bogeyed the fifth amidst two birdies on the second and ninth holes.
He had some breathing space early on the back nine, but then finished with five consecutive bogeys to drop into a tie with Jaco Ahlers and Haydn Porteous on two under.
He then took the title with a great drive and a good approach before two-putting.
"On the first I hit probably the worst shot of my tournament for my second, and it went into the hazard.
"It was very tough out there and I’m just glad I could pull it through.
"I just kept my head and stuck to my gameplan and it worked out in the end."
This is his first win since his maiden triumph in the 2009 Suncoast Classic further up the coast.
Scores (RSA unless otherwise specified):
208 - Louis de Jager 63 68 77
208 - Haydn Porteous 73 68 67, Jaco Ahlers 71 65 72
209 - Andrew Curlewis 78 65 66, CJ du Plessis 72 67 70, Danie van Tonder 72 66 71
210 - Jacques Blaauw 73 70 67, Christiaan Basson 71 70 69, Grant Muller 75 66 69, Keith Horne 70 69 71, Stuart Smith (BOT) 67 69 74
211 - Torben Baumann (GER) 76 69 66, Warren Abery 72 69 70, Daniel Greene 75 66 70, Jean Hugo 71 69 71
212 - Ulrich van den Berg 74 70 68, Jeff Inglis (ENG) 74 68 70, Wallie Coetsee 74 66 72, Tyrone Mordt 72 67 73
213 - Heinrich Bruiners 70 69 74, Jared Harvey 67 72 74, Colin Nel 73 66 74
214 - Andre Cruse 73 72 69, Bryce Easton 76 69 69, Michael Hollick 73 71 70, Matthew Carvell 71 71 72, James Kamte 68 73 73, Pieter Moolman 72 68 74
215 - Francois Coetzee 72 73 70, Mark Murless 77 68 70, Keenan Davidse 70 73 72
216 - Anthony Michael 76 68 72, Lyle Rowe 75 69 72, Allan Versfeld 72 72 72, Gideon Pienaar 75 69 72, Trevor Fisher Jnr 73 69 74, Neil Schietekat 69 72 75, Shaun Norris 69 69 78
217 - Oliver Bekker 73 71 73, Shaun Smith 73 71 73
221 - Tyrone Ryan 71 72 78, Titch Moore 72 68 81
222 - PH McIntyre 68 74 80, Bryce Bibby 70 71 81
