Oliver Bekker won his third title of the season when he shot a final round five-under-par 65 on Friday to total 11-under-par 199 and win the Sun Wild Coast Sun Challenge by three strokes.
Bekker came into the final round one shot off the lead. He made two birdies on the front nine and a bogey, but his homeward stretch was more eventful as he made three more birdies. Further gains were made when he eagled the par-five 16th to take the game beyond the chasing trio of Tyrone Ferreira, Ockie Strydom and Alex Haindl.
‘Today was probably the toughest,’ he said. ‘I think today was harder than most of my other rounds, but I think I handled it nicely.’
In what looks to be his best season by far, Bekker now boasts three Sunshine Tour titles, as he won the Zambia Sugar Open, the Lombard Insurance Classic and now the Sun Wild Coast Sun Challenge. Not only that, Bekker also sits at the summit of the Order of Merit, and following this victory he will surely be the man to beat in the next events on the calendar.
‘I think it’s mind-set change,’ he said of his season so far.
‘And I think it’s got a lot to do with inside of me; I have changed. I think that has changed everything in my golfing career, really. I still get a bit upset during a bad round, but I tend to get over it easier and a lot quicker.’
Playing in windy conditions Bekker held it together, and he was rewarded at the end of it all.
While celebrating his victory, Bekker is already looking forward to the next event.
‘Next week I am playing Zimbali,’ he said. ‘So, I am staying on the Sunshine Tour this year and I will see where I finish on the Order of Merit.’
Ferreira, Strydom and Haindl shared second place on eight-under-par 202. Ferreira shot a low six-under-par 64, while Strydom carded a four-under 66 final round. Haindl shot three-under 67 along with Neil Schietekat, who finished in a share of fifth with Vaughn Groenewald and Merick Bremner on seven-under.
Titch Moore and PH McIntyre share eighth position on five-under, and member of the Gary Player Class of 2017-18 Keenan Davidse made a second consecutive top-10 as he tied for 10th with Christiaan Basson.
Final leaderboard:
199 – Oliver Bekker 69 65 65
202 – Tyrone Ferreira 71 67 64, Ockie Strydom 67 69 66, Alex Haindl 68 67 67
203 – Neil Schietekat 70 66 67, Vaughn Groenewald 68 65 70, Merrick Bremner 69 64 70
205 – Titch Moore 70 69 66, PH McIntyre 67 69 69
206 – Christiaan Basson 68 70 68, Keenan Davidse 69 68 69
207 – Hennie du Plessis 70 69 68, Madalitso Muthiya 68 71 68
208 – Ulrich van den Berg 71 71 66, Mark Williams 72 69 67, Louis de Jager 72 68 68, MJ Viljoen 72 66 70, Daniel van Tonder 68 69 71
209 – Lyle Rowe 70 70 69, Andrew van der Knaap 68 72 69
210 – Bryandrew Roelofsz 71 70 69, Wallie Coetsee 70 70 70, Doug McGuigan 69 69 72
211 – Justin Harding 69 71 71, Andrew Curlewis 70 70 71, Tyrone Ryan 68 70 73
212 – Mark Murless 70 72 70, Desne Van Den Bergh 73 69 70, Luke Jerling 70 71 71, Jared Harvey 68 72 72
213 – Andre Nel 71 71 71, Chris Swanepoel 70 72 71, Chris Cannon 73 69 71, James Kamte 69 72 72, Michael Palmer 71 70 72, Musiwalo Nethunzwi 73 68 72, Darren Fichardt 71 67 75
214 – Jean Hugo 69 70 75
215 – Gert Myburgh 70 72 73, Callum Mowat 73 69 73, Jacques P de Villiers 69 71 75
