Christiaan Bezuidenhout upstaged the home favourite and world stars like Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia en route to his first European Tour win at the Andulucia Masters, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
An iconic venue, Valderrama, was the location for a breakthrough triumph of some stature as South Africa welcomed another winner to the elite tour.
Bezuidenhout claimed his first win after yet another stellar loop around the demanding track. The 25-year-old was playing alongside home favourite and World No 11 Jon Rahm in the final group in a Rambo vs Rahmbo clash. And what a clash it was with drama and tension at every corner.
Make it a SEVEN shot lead #valderramamasters pic.twitter.com/oVtnUe6lyC
— Compleat Golfer (@CompleatGolfer) June 30, 2019
The South African opened with two birdies on the bounce to settle the nerves and extend his advantage. That lead – as many as seven shots – shrunk to a handful after four bogeys in his next fives holes.
It was officially game on as Valderrama bared its teeth.
A par putt on eight would ultimately prove to the be difference as Bezuidenhout gained an added bit of steel to his game. Buoyed by that same, he opened his shoulders with three birdies around the turn.
Birdie on 9 but Rahm responds. Three ahead with nine to play #valderramamasters pic.twitter.com/QxIf0keVPk
— Compleat Golfer (@CompleatGolfer) June 30, 2019
Once more, Bezuidenhout’s name was seven clear at the top.
Dynamic pair looking down a massive win ? #valderramamasters pic.twitter.com/lMKhv8HzUQ
— Compleat Golfer (@CompleatGolfer) June 30, 2019
Rahm birdied nine to give the home fans, out in abundance, something to cheer about but his challenge wilted with a bogey at 10 before a double at the short 12th ended any real hopes of a comeback win.
Bezuidenhout, who closed with a 71 to finish 10-under par, continued to advance on to victory with a string of pars. A wobble at the 14th proved to be nothing more than that with the gap to the rest of the field still at six strokes.
With the hard work done earlier in the round and the foundation laid over the preceding three days, the last two holes were nothing more than a procession march to his first trophy.
That in itself shows the performance put up this week. Not bad for a previously winless player who had never held the 54-hole lead on the European Tour.
The old days are gone … this is a new era and you get the feeling that a lot more is yet to come for a player who seriously took aim at the lowest ever tournament score (-12).
The only ‘failure’ was the missed opportunity to add another record to his name with no player having shot in the 60s in all four rounds over the past three decades. Then again, the icing was already on this cake.
