Christiaan Bezuidenhout stitched up his third title on the country’s premier golf development Tour with wire-to-wire victory in the IGT Tour’s Pro Squad Classic on Wednesday.
Bezuidenhout had to contend with strong winds in the final round at Centurion Country Club, but the Wanna Be A Champion player prevailed to triumph on five-under-par 211 less than two weeks since he claimed a five-stroke victory in the Sishen Open.
The 19-year-old Delmas golfer closed with a three over 75 to finish well clear of Sunshine Tour regular TJ Bekker, Conway Kunneke and NJ Arnoldi.
The former number one ranked amateur in South Africa turned pro in March. In addition to three victories, he boasts three runner-up finishes and two third places in 10 starts in six months. His worst finish was a tie for 11th in the Gary Player School for Champions Classic in June.
“My main aim has been to gain consistency and to learn to produce under pressure, because it is a very different kind of pressure when you play for money,” he said.
“I am really pleased with my preparation for the European Tour’s First Stage Qualifying in September. I have a lot of work to do before I leave, but I feel that I am moving in the right direction.”
Bezuidenhout said the conditions were tough and definitely affected his performance.
“It’s winter, so the fairways are hard and the greens even harder,” he said.
“The wind varied between three and four clubs, and you constantly had to adjust your game plan, because it changed direction so much. It was incredibly difficult to control the ball and get anywhere near the pins, but I didn’t help myself, either.”
Bezuidenhout followed a birdie at the par-five 12th with three bogeys on the trot.
“I hit three bad shots in a row and got punished for it, but I kept it in play after 15 and turned two over and got back to level with two quick birdies after the turn.”
Disaster struck when his tee shot at six rolled into the hazard and walked off with a triple bogey.
“By this time I was really mad at myself for making so many rookie errors,” he said.
“I guess the adrenaline was still pumping and I hit a huge tee shot at seven. I had 180 meters to the pin and I hit an eight-iron to two feet and made the birdie, only to drop at again at the eighth.
“I still had a nice lead, so I decided just to lay up at 18 instead of trying to drive the green, and two-putted for par.”
Bezuidenhout said he found it difficult to celebrate after such a poor round.
“A win is a win, but I have to be honest, I’ve never played that badly and won,” he grimaced.
“Anyhow, onwards and upwards, as they say.”
GFG Academy’s Bekker carded a 73, Wanna Be A Champion stable-mate Arnoldi battled to a 75 and Kunneke signed for a frustrating 76 to share second on 215, while amateur Ruan Korb from Centurion Academy returned a 74 to take sole fifth on three over.
Meanwhile Danie Pretorius and amateur Chris van Tonder made the most of their early tee time
First out of the blocks, Pretorius from the Robbie Stewart Golf Academy enjoyed a string of seven birdies after a bogey at 11 and Van Tonder also mixed seven birdies with three bogeys.
The duo posted a pair of 68s to vault to joint sixth on four over alongside professional Siphiwe Siphayi (75) and amateurs Jandre Fullard (75) and Andrew Williamson (77).
FINAL RESULT
(All players RSA unless otherwise specified; amateurs indicated as AMA)
211 - Christiaan Bezuidenhout 68 68 75
215 - TJ Bekker 72 70 73, NJ Arnoldi 69 71 75, Conway Kunneke 69 70 76
219 - Ruan Korb (AMA) 74 71 74
220 - Chris van Tonder (AMA) 79 73 68, Danie Pretorius 78 74 68, Jandre Fullard (AMA) 73 72 75, Siphiwe Siphayi 73 72 75, Andrew Williamson (AMA) 72 71 77
221 - Pieter Kruger 74 75 72, Matthew Vogel 72 72 77
222 - Keegan Steyn (AMA) 73 74 75, Gideon Pienaar 74 71 77
223 - Herman Minnie 82 71 70, Carlos Arroyo (AMA) 73 73 77
224 - Garth Wolter 74 74 76
225 - Andi Dill (AMA) 71 80 74, Pieter Muller (AMA) 77 74 74, Bryn Flanagan 70 72 83
226 - Ted Hendriks 71 75 80
227 - Divan Marais (AMA) 78 74 75, Simon Kruger 77 74 76, Christiaan Pretorius 74 79 74, Hilton Hughes (AMA) 77 76 74, Carrie Park (AMA) 73 73 81, CJ Levey (AMA) 71 74 82
228 - Louis Taylor (AMA) 76 74 78, Sheldon Steyn ZIM 73 73 82
229 - Andre Van Heerden (AMA) 79 77 73
230 - Tyron Mc Comb 73 79 78, Gregory Royston (AMA) 74 77 79, Niel Meyer 76 77 77
231 - Michael Jooste (AMA) 76 77 78, Gary Daoust (AMA) 77 77 77, Ruan Conradie (AMA) 78 77 76
232 - Wian Verster 76 78 78
233 - Gareth Akers (AMA) 77 76 80
234 - Reynhard Reynecke (AMA) 77 74 83, Peetie van der Merwe (AMA) 77 74 83, Shaun van Tonder 78 76 80
235 - Marc de Jager (AMA) 79 74 82, Niel Theron (AMA) 79 77 79, Cole Dodgen (AMA) 75 81 79
237 - Maxime Deffontaine (AMA) BEL 75 81 81
238 - Slade Fick (AMA) 77 78 83
239 - Mark Bright 76 79 84
242 - Ryan Ciapparelli 75 81 86
245 - Zillan Du Pisani (AMA) 80 76 89
WDN - Joubert van Eeden (AMA) 77 76 WDN, Godfrey Mphaga 78 75 WDN, Hendrikus Stoop (AMA) 81 71 WDN
N/R - Jaco Mouton 72 80 N/R
No comments:
Post a Comment