Frontrunner Robin Williams ensured he was not just hiring the lead on the final day of the Fortress Invitational at Glendower Golf Club on Sunday, shooting an impressive four-under-par 68 as he strode to an emphatic six-stroke victory and his maiden Sunshine Tour title.
Williams went into the last round with a four-shot lead, having been co-leader after the second round, and he seized even firmer control of the tournament when he collected four birdies in five holes from the 5th.
Showing maturity and focus beyond his years, the 22-year-old then made par through his final 11 holes as he never showed any signs of faltering on the biggest day of his career so far.
Tremendously long and accurate off the tee, and with a putter that was red-hot, Williams ensured he kept an iron-grip on proceedings, winning in style in just his 16th Sunshine Tour start.
“I’m over the moon and I don’t think it’s going to sink in for a couple of days,” a quietly delighted Williams said after he finished on 19-under-par 269 on the tree-lined Glendower course that always provides a stiff challenge.
“At the start of the season, you always set your sights on winning, but we know in golf that things don’t always work out the way you want them to. But I knew if I keep working hard, then I would give myself a good chance.
“I had a very good front nine that extended my lead, which made the back nine easier. I just had to keep my cool and my concentration, and I made some very good four, five-footers to stay in front, keep the momentum going and not open the door for those behind me.
“I used my length off the tee well, I hit my driver very good, which gave me short irons in and lots of opportunities. But this win was really down to the flat stick, especially down the stretch.”
That winning moment for Robin Williams ??#FortressInvitational | #GreatnessBeginsHere | #SunshineTour | @IAmRobinTiger | @Fortress_Fund pic.twitter.com/1XOOAndDhX
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) October 8, 2023
American Dan Erickson used the services of a pinpoint six-iron to notch a maiden albatross on the par-five 4th hole, and he also eagled the par-five 17th as he posted a superb 66 that saw him finish alone in second place on 13 under par.
Danie van Niekerk closed with a par-72 to claim third place on 10 under, while Jacques P de Villiers (68), Nikhil Rama (72) and Michael Hollick (74) shared fourth on nine under par.
Williams has used this triumph to vault into eighth place on the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy and he can now forget about pre-qualifying events and can focus on being fully prepared for the lucrative co-sanctioned tournaments coming up in the summer.
“This win means everything to me and it takes a lot of stress off me. I can now play with freedom, not worry about qualifying, and get my game as good as I can for the big events coming soon,” Williams said.
Photo: Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour
