Cape Town - Garrick Higgo claimed a come-from-behind one-stroke victory over Haydn Porteous in the season-ending Tour Championship which was held at Serengeti Golf and Lifestyle Estate to finish a successful rookie season on Tour.
Higgo started the round one shot off Ockie Strydom’s overnight lead, at 13-under-par, and had some work to do to earn his second title in his rookie season – having claimed the Sun City Challenge last June.
He went around the front nine of the Serengeti Signature golf course in 33 and bogey-free. But it was Thriston Lawrence who was leading at that time. Two birdies, an eagle and a bogey followed on the back nine – his favourite nine of the course, by his admission – to sign for a six-under 66 final round which took his tournament score to 19-under-par 269.
“I wasn’t really expecting to win this one,” admitted Higgo after his scintillating round. “I just came here to play my best golf and have some fun. And even today, it didn’t really feel like I was up there but things kind of changed on 16 when I made the eagle and I don’t know what Thriston did. I don’t really like the front nine here so I was happy to get out of there with w decent score.
“Thriston Lawrence was already 19-under through the first nine so I knew I had to go for it on the back nine and I did. But I missed a short putt on 13, 14 and then made bogey on 15 and I thought ‘whoa, now I've got to go eagle, birdie, birdie to have a chance. Then things changed on 16.”
To make it even a sweeter finish to the season for Higgo, he was also awarded the Bobby Locke Trophy for a superb rookie season in which he claimed two wins (Tour Championship title included), a runner-up finish in Cape Town and three top 10 finishes among other great results.
“I’m very proud to win the rookie of the year trophy,” said the 21-year old Garrick who plays out of De Zalze Golf Club. “It will look really good on my CV and I’m sure there have been big names that have won it before. That race was quite tight, you know, I think Wilco (Nienaber) snuck up on me there a little bit but now I’m very happy that I’ve got it done.”
Higgo already has his European Challenge Tour card secured for the current season on that circuit and will look forward to the new Sunshine Tour season with keenness thanks to a great first season as a professional.
Scores:
269 - Garrick Higgo 67 70 66 66
270 - Haydn Porteous 67 69 67 67
271 - Thriston Lawrence 67 68 68 68
272 - Ockie Strydom 69 63 70 70
274 - Luke Jerling 68 68 68 70
275 - Darren Fichardt 73 66 67 69
276 - Keith Horne 70 71 64 71
277 - MJ Viljoen 73 67 72 65, George Coetzee 73 67 69 68
278 - Daniel van Tonder 70 67 68 73, Brandon Stone 69 65 70 74
279 - Christiaan Basson 68 72 70 69, Jean-Paul Strydom 66 69 72 72
280 - Jacques Kruyswijk 69 68 74 69, Keenan Davidse 71 68 67 74
281 - Martin Rohwer 71 68 72 70, Deon Germishuys 68 69 70 74, James Hart du Preez 68 71 68 74
282 - Jake Redman 70 71 71 70, Rhys Enoch 67 75 70 70, Hennie du Plessis 70 70 69 73
283 - Jacques Blaauw 69 70 67 77
284 - Jaco Van Zyl 73 71 67 73
285 - Merrick Bremner 75 66 73 71, Daniel Greene 67 72 72 74, Alex Haindl 72 68 70 75
287 - Oliver Bekker 74 70 75 68, Ruan Conradie 73 70 74 70, Jean Hugo 72 72 70 73
288 - Louis de Jager 76 69 72 71, Jaco Prinsloo 74 67 72 75
290 - Stephen Ferreira 76 72 71 71, JC Ritchie 69 74 75 72, Toto Thimba Jnr 72 69 73 76
292 - Estiaan Conradie 77 75 67 73, Dylan Naidoo 75 71 66 80
293 - Steve Surry 75 67 72 79
295 - CJ du Plessis 73 72 74 76
296 - Jake Roos 75 71 76 74
297 - Callum Mowat 76 72 71 78
300 - Ruan de Smidt 78 76 71 75
- Sunshine Tour