It took just a handful of starts for Garrick Higgo to prove himself at the highest level as he moved from budding rookie to Sunshine Tour winner at Sun City.
The presence of one of the strongest fields on the local scene will make victory No 1 that much sweeter as he claimed the Sun Challenge by one stroke on Friday.
Rounds of 69 and 71 presented the former top-ranked amateur with a good chance at a debut win, but the notoriously difficult Gary Player Country Club layout would have needed to be navigated successfully one last time.
And that’s indeed what happened as the 20-year-old pulled back early drops to reset his course. Birdies at 5, 8 and 9 helped him turn two-under par with three back-nine birdies getting him over line despite wobbles at 12 and 17.
Jaco van Zyl dropped to third after a 74, and JC Ritchie, winner of this seasons’s Zanaco Masters and T26 at last week’s Belgian Knockout on the European Tour, settled for a 73 that saw him finish T4 alongside first-round leader Kyle Barker.
The likes of Keith Horne, Neil Schietekat, Ryan Cairns and Jaco Ahlers all finished inside the top 10, but five adrift of Higgo’s tally.
Ockie Strydom was second alone at -6.
The win comes as validation for Higgo’s game, and helps pad his early season earnings by an additional R158 500 to his bank balance.
The future is indeed bright.
