Ahlers wins big at Wild Coast

Port Edward - Patience was the name of the game on Friday as Jaco Ahlers took his fifth Sunshine Tour title, winning the R700 000 Wild Coast Sun Challenge by three strokes.

While all around him were dropping shots, Ahlers made four birdies and no bogeys in his final round of four-under-par 66 at the 5,807 par-70 Wild Coast Sun Country Club, finishing on -17 ahead of Ruan de Smidt and Danie van Tonder.

"I hit the ball well all day," said Ahlers.

"I didn’t make any amazing putts, but I birdied all the par-fives, and that’s what you want – problem-free golf.

"Winning’s never easy, but it was nice to get on 17 and see that I had a three-shot lead. That made a bit of a difference – and a win’s a win. I’m chuffed."

For much of the day, it looked as if Van Tonder was going to run away with things.

He reached the turn in five-under-par 30, but he immediately dropped two shots in a row on 10 and 11. He recovered with an eagle on 12 and a birdie on 13, but then he finished with three bogeys in succession to fall out of contention.

While Van Tonder was undoing all the good work of his earlier charge, Ahlers was hanging in there, and, having made birdie on 12, he then made his fourth of the day on the par-five 16, and that was the beginning of the end.

"I had a three-wood in for two into the wind with water everywhere," said Ahlers.

"And I hit a pretty decent shot and made a two-putt birdie, and that turned things around, because Danie made bogey at about the same time up ahead."

Scores:

193 - Jaco Ahlers 61 66 66

196 - Danie van Tonder 62 67 67, Ruan de Smidt 64 64 68

197 - Madalitso Muthiya 64 68 65

199 - Jonathan Agren 67 67 65, Doug McGuigan 63 68 68

200 - Rourke van der Spuy 70 64 66, Mark Murless 66 67 67, Stephen Ferreira 65 64 71, Erik van Rooyen 67 62 71

202 - Jacques Kruyswijk 67 66 69