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Cape Town - Thriston Lawrence came out on top in a tightly contested Vodacom Origins of Golf event in Stellenbosch, where he won by a single shot this past weekend.
Lawrence became the tenth golfer to secure his maiden Sunshine Tour title this year to date.
The Mpumalanga-born golfer trailed by five shots behind leaders JP Strydom and Deon Germishuys but carded a 7-under final round to win at 15-under.
"We play to win so I knew my golf was solid and it was proven the last two rounds," Lawrence told Sport24 on Saturday.
"Being five shots behind, I didn't know it was possible but I started nicely and I was 5-under through 8 so I just managed to do it."
The 22-year-old bagged R158 500 for his efforts and jumped up 34 places to 261st on the World Golf Rankings.
Lawrence was a two-time SA Amateur champion and became the only South African to have ever won the prestigious Lytham Trophy in 2014.
Five years after turning pro, Lawrence delivered the same winning formula he had as an amateur to secure his breakthrough win in Stellenbosch
"This win means a lot. It's been tough times, gaining my card and not playing well," he said.
"It's been a struggle, I had a good amateur career... There's always a lot of expectation when you turn pro at a young age. It never really got going.
"The last two years, it's been a tough, but I've taught myself to be patient and decided that I want to play on the Sunshine Tour and get a win. That was my 2019 goal to get a Sunshine Tour win so I managed to accomplish that."
When asked what his next 2019 goal is, Lawrence replied: "Two Sunshine Tour wins."
This week, the Sunshine Tour will be in the Wild Coast for the Sun Challenge starting from Wednesday to Friday.
Golfers who've won their maiden Sunshine Tour title in 2019:
1. Benjamin Follett-Smith (Zimbabwe)
3. Jean-Paul Strydom (South Africa)
4. Martin Rohwer (South Africa)
6. Garrick Higgo (South Africa)
8. Ruan Conradie (South Africa)
9. Ockie Strydom (South Africa)
10. Thriston Lawrence (South Africa)
. @ThristonL is your 2019 @GolfOrigins Stellenbosch winner. Securing his first Sunshine Tour victory with a one shot victory at 15-under. pic.twitter.com/syBcRZzWLb
— Sport24 (@Sport24news) October 5, 2019
