Kruyswijk continues his good fortune in Cape of Good Hope with Vodacom Origins win

Jacques Kruyswijk (right) and his caddie, Terence Mngoma. Mngoma received a Sunshine Tour medallion as the winning caddie. Tyrone Winfield

Jacques Kruyswijk won his first Sunshine Tour title in the Cape and he got engaged in the Cape. So it seemed hardly surprising that a windy final round and a two-hole play-off should go his way as he won the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Devonvale Golf & Wine Estate on Sunday.

In the tough conditions of a strong wind sweeping through the winelands, Kruyswijk beat George Coetzee with a par on the second hole of their play-off to claim the fourth Sunshine Tour title of his career. It was also the first of his victories his mother was able to witness in person.

“It’s always special to win. Cape Town has always been good to me and it was nice to come out on top this week,” said Kruyswijk.

Kruyswijk led by two shots going into the final round but he and Coetzee were tied as they headed into a difficult back nine. Kruyswijk was one ahead playing the par-four 18th straight into the wind and he made double bogey while Coetzee bogeyed the hole for them to finish regulation play tied on 10-under par with rounds of 73 and 71 respectively.

Both parred the 18th as the first play-off hole, before Kruyswijk took the title.

“I was fresh off a double bogey going into the play-off, which is never great. It felt like I threw it away there but that last hole was playing ridiculously tough. I pulled myself together on the tee-off and knew I still had a chance. I kept a strong mindset. I was hoping to bank on my experience today and I think it showed quite a lot on certain holes. Kudos to George. What a great battle out there. His experience also showed. But man, I’m happy to come out on top this week.”

The victory is Kruyswijk’s second on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series.

Gabrielle Venter finished as the leading Sunshine Ladies Tour professional on four-over par with a final round of 77.

Scores

203 - Jacques Kruyswijk 68 62 73 *, George Coetzee 67 65 71 (* won on second play-off hole)

204 - Zander Lombard 64 70 70

205 - Stuart Krog 68 70 67, Altin van der Merwe 66 68 71

206 - Lyle Rowe 71 67 68

207 - Pieter Moolman 70 71 66, Jaco Prinsloo 68 71 68, Jacques Blaauw 70 69 68, James Mack 70 68 69, Paul Boshoff 68 69 70, Austin Bautista 68 68 71, Herman Loubser 68 66 73

208 - Kian Rose 69 71 68, Xander Basson 71 69 68, Jack Hawksby 69 71 68, Graham van der Merwe 70 67 71, Keenan Davidse 67 70 71, Rupert Kaminski 71 66 71, Louis Albertse 68 68 72, Stephen Ferreira 67 69 72, Jean-Paul Strydom 69 66 73, Ryan Van Velzen 68 64 76

209 - Tristen Strydom 74 67 68, Ricky Hendler 71 70 68, Rowan Lester 72 68 69, Jason Roets 68 72 69, JJ Senekal 71 68 70, Ruan Conradie 71 67 71, Christiaan Basson 71 67 71, Yurav Premlall 67 71 71, Mikkel Antonsen 68 70 71, Keagan Thomas 70 67 72, Ryan van der Klis 69 67 73, Kyle Barker 69 66 74

210 - Estiaan Conradie 69 72 69, Allen John 70 71 69, Toto Thimba Jnr 71 70 69, Keegan Mclachlan 70 70 70, Heinrich Bruiners 72 68 70, Luis Carrera 70 69 71, Neil Schietekat 69 67 74

211 - Sentanio Minnie 69 71 71

212 - CJ du Plessis 70 71 71, Albert Venter 69 71 72

213 - Hennie Otto 71 70 72, Ethan Smith 70 71 72, Jordan Burnand 69 71 73, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 69 67 77

214 - Marcus Sandile Taylor 72 69 73, Ivan Verster 70 71 73, Hennie O'Kennedy 71 69 74

215 - Pierre Viallaneix 73 67 75

216 - Joe Long 69 71 76, Ronald Rugumayo 69 70 77

217 - Dylan Mostert 71 69 77, Gabrielle Venter 69 71 77

218 - Dwayne Basson 70 71 77