Garth Wolter tapped in for par to beat pace-setter Bryce Myburgh ‘in extra time’ to celebrate his maiden success on the IGT Challenge Tour at State Mines Country Club on Wednesday.
Myburgh fired a five-under-par 67 to set the clubhouse target at six-under 138, but Wolter forced the 11th event into a sudden-death playoff when he closed with a two-over 74.
Wolter had started the final round with a five-shot cushion over three players and seven shots clear of Myburgh from Umhlali.
However, it turned into a battle royale between Wolter and Myburgh when the overnight leader’s cautious game plan cost him the lead on the front nine.
‘Instead of sticking to the same game plan, I started nursing my shots and my distance control went out the window,’ said 25-year-old Wolter. ‘I failed to get up-and-down for par on three holes and suddenly I was sharing the lead with Bryce.’
Wolter turned five under after bogeys at the 4th, 5th and 8th with Myburgh, playing a couple of groups ahead, on the same number after three birdies on the bounce at the 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th.
‘It was a good thing, really, because it forced me to play more aggressively on the back and I scrambled really well to save par,’ Wolter said. ‘Then Bryce pulled two shots clear with birdies at 14th and 16th. I scrambled unbelievably well and I didn’t drop any more shots.
‘I hit a great 7-iron down the middle at 14th and had 95m left to the green. I hit gap-wedge in and two-putted to square with Bryce. When he bogeyed 18th, I knew I still had a chance to win or get into a playoff.
‘I made some good pars at 15th, 16th and 17th and I had a chance to win it at 18th, but I was putting from the fringe and the putt ran past the hole. Bryce played unbelievably well, so I was only too happy to have a chance to take it to a playoff.’
The pair needed two extra trips down the 18th for a result.
‘The first time around, we both made pars,’ he explained. ‘The second time, Bryce blocked it right into the trees and I hit my tee shot straight down the middle. Bryce had to chip out and he was on the green for three. I hit my approach to 10 foot. I lagged the first putt close and tapped in for par after he missed his par putt.’
Wolter, who co-owns Urban Eatery in Vereeniging with his father and sister, was hard pushed to stop smiling. ‘I’m so stoked about this win. The restaurant keeps us really busy and it’s difficult to make the time to come out and play,’ said Wolter.
‘I hoped to make the most of my start this week and I have. I handled the pressure well, although the first nine holes were a bit of a battle, but I scrambled well and did all the things I needed to do to keep myself in it. To win in a playoff was great and I’m looking forward to building on this win.’
Ulsterman John McClean finished third on his own on four under with a final round 71, while Patrick Thompson carded 70 to seal fourth on three under. Former IGT Challenge Tour winner Gary Daoust from Belgium and Shaun van Tonder posted respective rounds of 69 and 72 to round out the top five on two under.
Photo: Winning Wolter with trophy, by CJ du Plooy
Final Result
All competitors SA unless otherwise specified; amateurs indicated as AMA
210 – Garth Wolter 68 68 74 (2nd play-off hole)
210 – Bryce Myburgh 72 71 67
212 – John McClean (NIR) 69 72 71
213 – Patrick Thompson 72 71 70
214 – Gary Daoust (BEL) 75 70 69, Shaun van Tonder 73 69 72
215 – Peetie van der Merwe 71 70 74
216 – Jason Diab 76 71 69
217 – Clinton Grobler 72 73 72
218 – Ruan Korb 72 70 76, Michael Pfeifer 67 74 77
219 – Leon Vorster 71 73 75
220 – David Rebelo 78 72 70, Keanu Pestana AMA 73 75 72
221 – Stephan Erasmus 75 73 73, Henning du Plooy AMA 75 73 73
222 – Leon van der Walt AMA 72 76 74, Byron Sampson AMA 72 79 71, Mitchell Lightfoot AMA 74 72 76
223 – Stefan Wears-Taylor 74 76 73, Matthew Hands AMA 72 78 73, Jack Duthie 74 74 75
224 – Ruhan van Dijk 76 72 76
225 – Marcus Smal AMA 79 72 74, Paulo Serrao (POR) 73 74 78, Adrian Brabson AMA 75 77 73, Gareth Sargent AMA 78 74 73, Kyle Murphy AMA 77 76 72
226 – Eric Nel 82 71 73, Hanish Nagrani (ZIM) 78 77 71
227 – Dean du Plessis AMA 75 74 78, Luke Mayo AMA 80 70 77, Blain Sansom 75 78 74, Lejan Lewthwaite 73 73 81, JP Rousseau AMA 74 80 73
228 – Willie Olivier AMA 73 78 77, Jihwan Yeom AMA 80 75 73
229 – Leon Visser 78 73 78
230 – Vickus Fleischman AMA 79 76 75, Tristan Brice AMA 78 76 76
231 – Lincon Cele 82 69 80
232 – Warric Dyers 71 77 84, Terence Mogapi 80 73 79
234 – Thabiso Ngcobo 75 79 80
DSQ – Michael Kok 76 74 DSQ