Schaper chips in to win AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open

Jayden Schaper. Sunshine Tour

South Africa’s Jayden Schaper literally saved the best for last.

In his last shot of a defining year, Schaper chipped in for eagle to beat American Ryan Gerard in a play-off and win the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at La Réserve Golf Links on Sunday.

It was a moment of pure genius from the 24-year-old professional and capped his second consecutive victory on the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour after winning the previous week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship, also in a playoff.

“Those are the shots you’re dreaming about when you’re on the practice green as a youngster. To pull it off in a tournament and in a playoff – I don’t know. I just can’t wait to get back and look at the footage of that shot because you’re in the moment and focused and you don’t really take in what just happened. I’m pretty sure it’s going to hit me later but it’s just so insane,” said Schaper.

In the last three weeks he’s finished second in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player, first in the Alfred Dunhill Championship and first in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

On a windy Sunday at La Réserve Golf Links, Schaper produced a final round of 64 including three birdies in his final four holes to finish at 22-under par. Gerard, playing behind him, was on the 18th one shot behind and had a scare when he thought his ball had moved when he addressed it on the fairway. He was cleared by a rules official and went on to make an incredible birdie from the greenside bunker to tie Schaper, closing with a 66.

Gerard made his intentions clear this week when he said he’d flown all the way from Florida to play this event as a final opportunity to win and end the year in the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking, thereby securing himself a Masters invite.

Playing the par-five 18th as the first play-off hole, both golfers made par.

And then came the moment of magic from Schaper on the second play-off hole to end a career-defining 2025 and set up an exciting 2026 for the young star.

“So far it’s been two of the best weeks of my career but hopefully there is more to come. It’s been insane and you could never have asked for any better. It’s unreal,” he said.

South Africa’s Casey Jarvis finished third on 17-under par with a final round of 71.

Schaper’s victory capped a remarkable week on the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour, and on a celebrated golf course that in a very short time has garnered global awards and praise.

“It is an incredible golf course. When we played it for the first time in 2023 it had only been open for a couple of months and it was a bit young. But two years later it has matured incredibly well and the playing surfaces are as good as I’ve seen anywhere. It has to be perhaps the most stunning golf course I’ve ever seen in my 32-year tenure on the DP World Tour,” said Miguel Vidaor, Tournament Director for the DP World Tour.

The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is proudly supported by leading brands such as AfrAsia Bank, Heritage Resorts, ER Group, Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels, Heritage Villas Valriche, Mont Choisy Group, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), Range Rover, Emtel, Poncini, Mauritius Golf Federation, Phoenix Beverages, ticketbox.mu, DStv, C-Care, Mautourco, Ernie Els Wines, CBE, Miko Coffee, MobiMEA, Mastercard, SMAG and iconic.

Scores

266 - Jayden Schaper 69 69 64 64 (Won in a play-off)

266 - Ryan Gerard 68 69 63 66

271 - Casey Jarvis 67 65 68 71

272 - Andreas Halvorsen 69 72 65 66

273 - Zander Lombard 72 68 71 62

273 - John Parry 70 68 67 68

274 - Manuel Elvira 68 67 69 70

274 - Alexander Levy 68 66 67 73

276 - Scott Jamieson 67 72 73 64

276 - JC Ritchie 74 69 68 65, Oihan Guillamoundeguy 71 69 70 66, Anthony Quayle 68 71 69 68, Brandon Stone 68 68 71 69, Michael Hollick 73 65 67 71

277 - Marcus Armitage 72 69 70 66

277 - Kieran Vincent 75 68 68 66, Daniel van Tonder 71 68 67 71

278 - Tobias Jonsson 72 66 67 73

279 - Hugo Townsend 69 71 69 70

280 - Herman Loubser 68 69 75 68

281 - Angel Ayora 71 68 73 69

281 - Wilco Nienaber 71 72 70 68, Gregorio De Leo 73 67 74 67, Daniel Brown 71 72 68 70

282 - Jack Senior 73 68 71 70

282 - Nathan Kimsey 72 71 71 68, Francesco Laporta 71 67 72 72, Eugenio Chacarra 72 68 70 72, Jovan Rebula 73 67 70 72, Tom Vaillant 72 67 69 74, Hennie du Plessis 72 67 68 75

283 - Oliver Lindell 72 69 71 71

283 - Joakim Lagergren 69 73 70 71, Frederico Biondi Figueiredo 76 68 70 69, Niklas Lemke 73 70 71 69, Shubhankar Sharma 74 69 71 69

284 - MJ Daffue 69 70 73 72

284 - Dylan Frittelli 68 69 75 72, Alex Fitzpatrick 69 71 72 72, Marcel Siem 73 67 68 76, Christiaan Burke 76 68 74 66, Marcel Schneider 72 68 66 78

285 - Eddie Pepperell 74 68 74 69

286 - Renato Paratore 74 69 68 75

286 - Mikael Lindberg 76 68 71 71, Rocco Repetto 70 72 73 71, Adri Arnaus 70 70 70 76

287 - Andrea Pavan 73 69 71 74

287 - Christo Lamprecht 71 70 72 74, Nick Bachem 72 70 73 72, Clément Charmasson 72 69 75 71

288 - Julien Sale 77 67 70 74

288 - Jonathan Broomhead 75 68 68 77

289 - Jeff Winther 71 70 74 74

289 - Clement Sordet 71 73 72 73

290 - Lyle Rowe 70 72 73 75

290 - Luke Jerling 71 73 72 74

292 - Michael Feuerstein 73 71 73 75

292 - Quim Vidal 70 74 74 74, Marcus Kinhult 74 69 75 74, Keagan Thomas 73 69 79 71

293 - Dylan Naidoo 76 67 79 71

294 - Cameron Adam 72 72 75 75

294 - Nikhil Rama 72 72 76 74, Quintin Wilsnach 73 69 79 73

295 - Jordan Burnand 76 68 74 77