Cape Town - South African golfing great Ernie Els has expressed his sadness at the death of fellow former professional. Wayne Westner.
According to police reports, Westner took his own life after a hostage drama involving his wife at his home on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast on Wednesday morning.
He was 55.
According to News24, police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said that officers had been called to the Gwala Gwala Estate in Rahle Road, Pennington on Wednesday morning.
"It is alleged that Westner and his wife were busy in the process of relocating to Johannesburg.
"Westner arrived at the residential unit on the estate and forced his way in. He was armed with a handgun and allegedly shot himself through the head in front of his wife," Zwane added.
He said that Westner’s body was removed to the KwaZulu-Natal Medico-Legal Mortuary (MLM) in Park Rynie for a post mortem examination.
Westner was best known for winning the South African Open in 1988 and 1991 - on both occasions at Durban Country Club - where his power and prodigious length off the tee enabled him to use a 1-iron to navigate his way around the notoriously tight layout.
He won 14 professional events, including two European Tour events, as well as the 1996 World Cup of Golf at Erinvale Golf Course in Somerset West, alongside Els.
His career was cut short through injury in 1998.
Els took to Twitter to "thank his friend" for the "great memories".
"Sad day, our friend Wayne Westner passed today. Great memories thank you my friend".
Sad day, our friend Wayne Westner passed today. Great memories thank you my friend.
— Ernie Els (@TheBig_Easy) January 4, 2017
Throwback-Thursday: @TheBig_Easy & Wayne Westner combined to win the 1996 World Cup on home soil at Erinvale GC. pic.twitter.com/6kwxQMxpFT
— Golf Digest S-Africa (@GolfDigestSA) May 5, 2016