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Kleinmond - Hasn’t he won enough, asked someone after Vaughn Groenewald carded a six-under-par 66 on Saturday to win the R700 000 Vodacom Origins of Golf tournament at Arabella Country Estate.
Well, no. It was only the fifth win of a Sunshine Tour career that stretches back to 1995, and it was achieved at the expense of Stefan Engell Andersen, who fired a brilliant seven-under 65 to finish one shot back from Groenewald on eight-under 208.
“That’s why we play – we want to win,” said Groenewald. “I’d like to win every week if I could. That would be great. I feel bad for Stefan. He played well with seven birdies and an eagle today. It’s a pity, but his turn will come.”
Groenewald started like a man late for an appointment with the trophy engraver: He made three birdies in his first four holes. A bogey on the sixth checked his momentum momentarily, but he birdied the ninth to turn in three-under 33.
Three more birdies on his homeward nine was enough to edge clear of Engell Andersen and give him the victory which means so much to him. “It’s amazing. Even when I phoned my Dad after I finished, I started crying,” said Groenewald. “I’ve been close this year in a couple of tournaments, leading, and I’ve messed it up, so today was good.”
Engell Anderson started with a bogey, but he quickly rectified that with an eagle three on the second. He made three more birdies to the turn, interspersed with a bogey on five, and then he poured it on through the homeward nine. Three birdies from 12 to 14, and then a closing one on 18 saw him pump his fist and go to the clubhouse to see if Groenewald would falter.
He didn’t. The man who got his nickname ‘The Boom’ for his ability to make big putts – in terms of distance and pressure – made a beauty of a 30-footer on 14 to go to nine-under. “When I saw the leaderboard on 155, I just tried to make pars on the way home,” he said.
He managed that, but not without some real pressure: He made a teasing little slider from six feet on 17, and then he knocked it in from seven feet for par on the final hole. “I was a bit tense when I hit my chip on 18 so far past,” said Groenewald, “but it was a good one to make.”
And it’s given him a boost of confidence, too. “I’ve got a title defence at the Wild Coast next week. Just after winning, I normally win again – that’s what I want to do.”
He clearly is not done winning…
Scores:
207 - Vaughn Groenewald 68 73 66
208 - Stefan Engell Andersen 68 75 65
210 - Neil Schietekat 67 71 72, Alex Haindl 70 66 74
211 - Danie van Tonder 71 73 67
212 - Ruan de Smidt 74 68 70, Keith Horne 70 70 72
213 - Jean-Paul Strydom 70 73 70, Merrick Bremner 76 66 71
214 - Theunis Spangenberg 68 77 69, Christiaan Bezuidenhout 70 69 75
215 - Louis de Jager 74 71 70, Mark Murless 74 70 71, Jacques Kruyswijk 69 74 72, Jaco Ahlers 71 69 75
216 - Doug McGuigan 70 72 74, Bryce Easton 70 72 74
217 - Keenan Davidse 71 77 69, Le Roux Ferreira 76 71 70, Anthony Michael 72 73 72, Henry Featherstone 71 74 72
218 - Heinrich Bruiners 76 71 71, Jared Harvey 74 72 72, Jonathan Agren 80 65 73, Wallie Coetsee 71 73 74
219 - Mark Williams 71 77 71, Allan Versfeld 73 73 73
220 - MJ Viljoen 71 77 72, Christiaan Basson 77 70 73
221 - Tyrone Ferreira 76 70 75, Justin Harding 73 71 77, Pieter Kruger 72 71 78
222 - Jake Redman 73 75 74
223 - Breyten Meyer 72 74 77, Jason Froneman 70 74 79
224 - JJ Senekal 76 71 77, Ockie Strydom 71 75 78
225 - Charl Coetzee 69 78 78, Andrew Curlewis 70 76 79, Colin Nel 72 71 82
227 - Gideon Pienaar 76 72 79
