Viljoen claims SDC Open title in dramatic play-off

MJ Viljoen (right) and the winning caddie Jeff Faku. Sunshine Tour

South Africa’s MJ Viljoen claimed a dramatic play-off victory in the SDC Open at the Zebula Golf Estate & Spa on Sunday, securing his first title on the HotelPlanner Tour.

Viljoen came from one shot behind at the start of the round and looked headed for a comfortable victory when he was at one point, three shots clear on the back nine. But a charging Deon Germishuys and a weather delay quickly changed that.

Germishuys birdied two of his last four holes for a 67 to set the clubhouse target at sixteen under. Viljoen came back after the delay and bogeyed his next three holes to slip one behind Germishuys. Viljoen then birdied the par five 18th for a 70 to force the play-off.

Viljoen birdied the 18th to claim the title in the play-off.

“It’s massive. I went through a lot the last two or three years. I had some decent starts on the HotelPlanner Tour. It’s time it happened. This opens a lot of doors for me,” said Viljoen.

“It was a lot of emotions today. I threw it away a bit after the start again but I kept believing in myself and I brought it through. I look at the leaderboard but I try not to react to it too much. Try to keep the mind clear and stay in the moment and just play."

Viljoen was very happy to share the special moment with his family.

“It’s very cool. My wife flew to Johannesburg on Friday and it’s very nice to have them here.”

It’s Viljoen’s fourth Sunshine Tour victory of his career but more importantly his first on the HotelPlanner Tour which has provided a valuable pathway for South African professionals to graduate onto the DP World Tour.

Jean Hugo and Maxence Giboudot shared third place on 14-under. South Africa’s Ryan van Velzen produced an incredible closing 63, with a back nine of 29 to secure a top-five finish.

This was the first of four tournaments co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour, with the next event set to take place at Royal Cape Golf Club this week in the CIRCA Cape Town Open.

Scores

WN - MJ Viljoen 66 70 66 70 WN

272 - Deon Germishuys 70 68 67 67 KO

274 - Jean Hugo 68 70 68 68

274 - Maxence Giboudot 69 64 68 73

275 - Ryan Van Velzen 68 72 72 63

275 - Jaco Prinsloo 66 73 69 67, Luke Brown 67 70 70 68, Callum Farr 67 71 69 68, Pieter Moolman 72 64 70 69, Jannik de Bruyn 70 65 67 73

276 - Jason Roets 73 68 69 66

276 - Robin Williams 70 67 71 68, Julien Quesne 69 69 69 69, Martin Vorster 65 69 71 71, Tobias Eden 68 69 68 71

277 - Dan Erickson 70 70 67 70

277 - Jaco Ahlers 67 68 71 71, Graham van der Merwe 68 69 69 71, Kyle Barker 69 68 68 72, Stuart Krog 69 70 66 72, Baard Skogen 72 65 64 76

278 - Ronan Kleu 69 70 70 69

278 - Hurly Long 72 64 72 70, Pablo Ereno 69 67 71 71, Justin Walters 68 73 66 71, Marc Warren 71 69 65 73

279 - Lorenzo Scalise 70 70 72 67

279 - Jack Hawksby 68 70 73 68, Clement Sordet 69 70 71 69, Kieron van Wyk 71 69 69 70

280 - Matthis Besard 71 70 68 71

280 - Rhys Enoch 69 65 72 74

281 - Julien Sale 67 70 73 71

281 - Trevor Fisher Jnr 68 71 70 72, Tyran Snyders 68 72 69 72, Lucas Vacarisas 69 69 70 73, Nikhil Rama 72 68 67 74, Max Kennedy 69 72 65 75

282 - Nick Carlson 72 69 72 69

282 - Toto Thimba Jnr 71 68 73 70, Yurav Premlall 68 72 72 70, Adam Wallin 69 69 72 72, Jordan Burnand 68 69 72 73, Julien Brun 70 68 71 73, Joel Moscatel 69 65 74 74, Wilco Nienaber 73 67 68 74, Liam Nolan 72 67 68 75, Alex Goff 70 68 67 77

283 - Ryan van der Klis 70 69 76 68

283 - Ruan Korb 68 71 74 70, Sam Hutsby 74 66 71 72, Haydn Porteous 69 70 71 73, Austin Bautista 71 69 70 73, Tristen Strydom 71 67 71 74, Herman Loubser 68 68 70 77

284 - Gerhard Pepler 69 71 74 70

284 - Robin Sciot-Siegrist 73 68 73 70, Hennie Otto 72 69 71 72

285 - Kyle De Beer 69 71 74 71

285 - Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen 72 69 73 71, Rupert Kaminski 73 67 73 72, Robert Foley 70 69 73 73

286 - Palmer Jackson 70 71 70 75

286 - Martin Rohwer 70 70 70 76

288 - Altin van der Merwe 72 69 74 73

288 - Gary Hurley 72 69 72 75

289 - Bjorn Akesson 70 71 76 72

293 - Warwick Purchase 70 71 76 76

295 - Luis Carrera 70 71 79 75

295 - Thomas Spreadborough 72 69 78 76

WDN - Charles Huntzinger 69 68 71 WDN