Eikenhof professional Jason Roets held off a strong chasing pack on Wednesday as he reeled in the Ruimsig Challenge title in Roodepoort.
The 24-year-old fired a final round four-under-par 68 to win in wire-to-wire fashion and celebrated his second turn in the winner’s circle on the IGT Challenge Tour on a 13-under-par 203 total at Ruimsig Country Club.
Roets finished two shots clear of Pretoria rookie Estiaan Conradie, who racked up four birdies on the back nine for a 69 and second on his own.
Garth Wolter and Pretoria amateur Eric Nel posted a pair of 71s to tie for third on nine under, amateur Cameron Moralee from Dainfern posted 69 to finish in fifth at eight-under, and former Sunshine Tour champion Teboho Sefatsa closed with a 71 to take sixth place.
Ruan Conradie was in the four-strong group giving chase at the start of the final day, but the Wingate Park rookie slipped out of contention with a double bogey at the ninth. However, a birdie at 18 for a 75 moved the current Money List leader to joint seventh at five-under.
Roets fired a blistering eight-under 64 to grab the lead in round one.
He held on to pole position after posting 71 in the second round and headed into the final round with a one-shot cushion over Wolter, Nel and the Conradie brothers.
The former North Texas University graduate picked up his first birdie at the par-five fourth and took advantage of the par-five ninth to turn in front on 11-under.
‘Then I bogeyed 11 and dropped back in a four-way tie for the lead with Garth, Eric and Cameron,’ said Roets. ‘To be honest, I got a little greedy and went flag-hunting instead of hitting a sensible shot and a poor swing landed me in the greenside bunker. I short-sided myself, so I hit the trap-shot out, took my medicine and walked off with a bogey.
‘I told myself not to take unnecessary risks, especially since the wind really started to blow on the back nine. I had 110 metres to the flag at 12 after a good tee shot, and I hit it eight feet behind the pin and holed the birdie putt to edge ahead again.’ Estiaan Conradie matched Roets with birdies at 12 and 14 and got within two of the lead with a birdie at the par four 16th.
‘I didn’t take anything for granted, but when we both parred the short 17th, I knew I had a chance to win,’ Roets said. ‘I hit a good drive down the fairway and left myself 256m to the pin. I took two-iron in, left it just short, but chipped it to four feet and holed the putt for the win.
‘My first IGT Challenge Tour win was pretty intense, because it went to a play-off, but I can honestly say that this one was just as tough to pull through. I’m really pleased that I hung tough in round two to keep the lead and that I kept my head in the game to seal this second title.
‘This one is for my coach Ryan Martin over in the States. I talk to him almost every day and send him videos to analyse, and nothing is ever too much trouble for him. And I’d like to thank the Eye of Africa Golf Estate; I really appreciate all their assistance over the last four months.’
Picture of Roets courtesy of CJ du Plooy
Final Result
All competitors SA unless otherwise specified and amateurs indicated as AMA
203 – Jason Roets 64 71 68
205 – Estiaan Conradie 68 68 69
207 – Garth Wolter 69 67 71, Eric Nel AMA 66 70 71
208 – Cameron Moralee AMA 67 72 69
210 – Teboho Sefatsa 69 70 71
211 – John McClean (NIR) 71 69 71, Juan Langeveld 70 68 73, Ruan Conradie 71 65 75
212 – Roberto Lupini 70 74 68, Teagan Moore 71 69 72
213 – David Mofokeng (LSO) 72 72 69
214 – Stephan de Beer 73 69 72, Keelan van Wyk AMA 69 73 72
215 – Benjamin Follett-Smith AMA (ZIM) 71 71 73, Ricardo Towell 72 70 73, Shaun van Tonder 74 70 71, Duane Keun 67 71 77
216 – Luke Brown AMA 72 67 77
217 – Divan Marais 69 72 76
218 – Maritz Wessels 73 71 74, Ruan Korb 74 71 73, Gareth Anderson AMA 73 72 73, Ryan Wingrove AMA 75 70 73, WM Coetzee AMA 73 75 70
219 – Billy Greyvenstein AMA 75 71 73
220 – Andi Dill 71 71 78, Matthew Vogel 71 72 77
221 – Terence Mogapi 73 72 76, Mpho Mafishe 76 72 73
222 – Michael Dreyer 73 73 76, Cole Dodgen AMA 75 72 75
224 – Bryce Myburgh 74 73 77
227 – David Lamprecht 74 75 78
228 – Vian van Blerk AMA 77 71 80
230 – Lynette Fourie AMA 76 73 81