Bush-loving South African Ockie Strydom posted a score of 69 for the win the Alfred Dunhill Championship by two shots at 18-under, and with the 37-year-old claiming a maiden DP World Tour win in a 39th event.
Strydom’s win, and in the fifth event of the new 2022/23 season guarantees the Serengeti Golf & Wildlife Estate attached golfer a virtual three-year Tour exemption till the end of 2025 following his victory on the course that overlooks the bush of Kruger National Park.
A moment to remember for Ockie Strydom 🙌
His first win on the DP World Tour!#DunhillChamps pic.twitter.com/AufBvfPDDi
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) December 11, 2022
And in a rare first, Strydom won wearing shorts after Tour officials approved of shorts in the near 40 degrees Celsius weather.
He said: “It’s nice. I think my plans just changed a little bit!
“Everyone here, thank you. My host that had me this week, unbelievable, all credit to him; my wife, probably crying at home; my parents crying at home; my caddie – thanks a lot.
“It’s my favourite place, this. All credit to Johann Rupert. The course is looking phenomenal – the best I’ve ever seen it.
“It’s the bush. I’m calm in the bush. My first win was in the bush and now we’re back in the bush.
“I’m just happy.”
Strydonm’s only other pro victory was at the 2019 Vodacom Origins of Golf event on his own Sunshine Tour at Sishen, and located to the south-west of Johannesburg.
Remarkably, he’s had some 20 other either second place or a share of second results from mid May in 2011 to September this year.
LIV Golf’s Adrian Otaegui posted a closing 68 to finish runner-up to Strydom at 16-under.
