Schaper Creates Rarest Of Rare Double Victory Scenario.

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What are the odds of players from the same county winning the same back-to-back golf tournaments?

And what also are the odds if one one of the players won each event thanks an eagle in a play-off?

That is what has transpired today with super-talented Jayden Schaper South African remarkably matching the Decemeber 2023 effort of fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen in capturing the same two back-to-back tournament at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and AfrAsia Bank Mauritius.

And not only has the 24-year-old Schaper won for a second week in a row but he’s done so also in a play-off, and even more remarkable he’s captured a second DP World/Sunshine Tour event chipping-in for a winning eagle ‘3’ in the play-off as he had done in last week’s Joburg play-off.

The back-to-back wins, and after being runner-up prior to last week’s succces, takes Schaper to the top of the 2026 DP World Tour Race to Dubai money list and in a brilliant mirror to last week he earns him a virtual three-year Tour exemption – all of 2026 and then the usual two-year winner’s exemption through to the close of the 2028 season.

Schaper cut a swath through the final day field posting an eagle and six birdies in a flawless 64 to set the clubhouse target at 22-under par and put the pressure on American Ryan Gerard, who needed a birdie on the last to force a play-off.

Jayden Schaper with the stunning AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open trophy. Image – Sunshine Tour

The World No. 57 ranked Gerard has muscled his way to a two-shot advantage after a fifth birdie of his closing round at the 12th but the birdies then dried-up for the reigning PGA Tour Barracuda Championship winner.

The Florida-based Gerard pared the next five holes and came to the last needing a birdie to force the play-off which brilliantly achieved.

Now  to a play-off and with both players paring the first ahead of Schaper eagling the par-5 second hole for the second time on the final day and also remarkably matching what he did last week in Joburg when he also eagled a play-off hole to capture the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

“The last three weeks have been incredible,” said Schaper who has now pocketed Euro 877,611 in his three events of the 2026 DPWT season.

“I don’t even know what to say. That’s just such an insane way to finish a tournament.

“It’s been such a great week, such an awesome place, the support, the golf course. From start to finish.

“I could not have asked for anything better. Christmas is going to be good this year, and New Year. It’s just unreal.

“I wait five years for the first (title) and then the following week (to get the second) is so cool.”

Schaper’s efforts these past three weeks has not only seen him rise to No. 1 on the Race to Dubai money list but he’s also making inroads on the OWGR rankings.

Indeed he went from 153rd in the world to No. 127 in being runner-up at the Nedbank to 94th winning last week in Joburg to the World No. 63 heading into the Christmas break.

No bad a season for the golfer who kick-started 2025 as the World No. 294.



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