Dawie Van Der Walt became the fifth South African to win in 10 European Tour events this season with his two-stroke victory in the Tshwane Open in Centurion.
Van Der Walt, 30 shot a final round 67 to win by two shots with a 21-under par total on the Els Club course at the Copperleaf Golf Estate.
The Texas-based Van Der Walt was among four players tied for the lead on 16-under par headed to the final round of the inaugural co-sanctioned European and Sunshine Tour event.
Dawie Van Der Walt makes it five wins for South African golfers in 10 Race to Dubai events this year. (Photo – Catherine Kotze/SASPA
Among those was fellow South African Darren Fichardt, seeking a second straight Tour victory, who shot a last round 69 to finish in second place on 19-under par.
Van Der Walt, who had just one bogey over the 72 holes, has won four times on mini-US Tour’s but victory close to the South African capital is his maiden main Tour success.
“You can only imagine what it’s like to win such a big one,” said Van Der Walt.
“I’m just really happy that I played well and won, because you can play well and not win.
“You start doubting yourself and at 30 years old you start to wonder if you’re good enough and this shows me that I am. I would have liked to win before 30, but I’ll definitely take this.
“Golf is a game where you don’t get a lot of chances to win, and to do it is fantastic.
“I don’t know what I’ll do yet. The purses are a lot bigger in The European Tour, so I’ll have to rethink some things. You can make your own schedule, which is important.
“I hit the ball really good and I never really had to chip, which is not my strength. If you hit a lot of greens and don’t three-putt then you’re going to do well.”
It was Fichardt who broke the deadlock atop of the leader board early when the Centurion local birdied the second and third holes.
But Van Der Walt then countered in dramatic manner holing a 40-foot putt for eagle at the longest hole in the 41-year history of the European Tour, the 685-yard (626-metere) par five, fourth hole.
Fichardt responded with a birdie at the fifth but after Van Der Walt birdied the sixth and seventh holes he was never headed.
Victory earned Van Der Walt a prize cheque for Euro 237,750 and a European Tour exemption to the end of 2015.
South African Louis De Jager posted a 69 to finish third on 18-under par.
Orlando’s Peter Uihlein, and winner of the 2010 US Amateur Championship, took another step closer to a maiden pro career win finishing fourth courtesy of a closing 69 that included an eighth hole eagle for a 17-under par total.
