Golf

Sport24.co.za | Double delight for Higgo as he claims Tour Championship



Cape Town – Garrick Higgo claimed a come-from-behind one-stroke victory over Haydn Porteous in the season-ending Tour Championship which was held at Serengeti Golf and Lifestyle Estate to finish a successful rookie season on Tour.

Higgo started the round one shot off Ockie Strydom’s overnight lead, at 13-under-par, and had some work to do to earn his second title in his rookie season – having claimed the Sun City Challenge last June.

He went around the front nine of the Serengeti Signature golf course in 33 and bogey-free. But it was Thriston Lawrence who was leading at that time. Two birdies, an eagle and a bogey followed on the back nine – his favourite nine of the course, by his admission – to sign for a six-under 66 final round which took his tournament score to 19-under-par 269.

“I wasn’t really expecting to win this one,” admitted Higgo after his scintillating round. “I just came here to play my best golf and have some fun. And even today, it didn’t really feel like I was up there but things kind of changed on 16 when I made the eagle and I don’t know what Thriston did. I don’t really like the front nine here so I was happy to get out of there with w decent score.

“Thriston Lawrence was already 19-under through the first nine so I knew I had to go for it on the back nine and I did. But I missed a short putt on 13, 14 and then made bogey on 15 and I thought ‘whoa, now I’ve got to go eagle, birdie, birdie to have a chance. Then things changed on 16.”

To make it even a sweeter finish to the season for Higgo, he was also awarded the Bobby Locke Trophy for a superb rookie season in which he claimed two wins (Tour Championship title included), a runner-up finish in Cape Town and three top 10 finishes among other great results.

“I’m very proud to win the rookie of the year trophy,” said the 21-year old Garrick who plays out of De Zalze Golf Club. “It will look really good on my CV and I’m sure there have been big names that have won it before. That race was quite tight, you know, I think Wilco (Nienaber) snuck up on me there a little bit but now I’m very happy that I’ve got it done.”

Higgo already has his European Challenge Tour card secured for the current season on that circuit and will look forward to the new Sunshine Tour season with keenness thanks to a great first season as a professional.

 

Scores:

269 – Garrick Higgo 67 70 66 66

270 – Haydn Porteous 67 69 67 67

271 – Thriston Lawrence 67 68 68 68

272 – Ockie Strydom 69 63 70 70

274 – Luke Jerling 68 68 68 70

275 – Darren Fichardt 73 66 67 69

276 – Keith Horne 70 71 64 71

277 – MJ Viljoen 73 67 72 65, George Coetzee 73 67 69 68

278 – Daniel van Tonder 70 67 68 73, Brandon Stone 69 65 70 74

279 – Christiaan Basson 68 72 70 69, Jean-Paul Strydom 66 69 72 72

280 – Jacques Kruyswijk 69 68 74 69, Keenan Davidse 71 68 67 74

281 – Martin Rohwer 71 68 72 70, Deon Germishuys 68 69 70 74, James Hart du Preez 68 71 68 74

282 – Jake Redman 70 71 71 70, Rhys Enoch 67 75 70 70, Hennie du Plessis 70 70 69 73

283 – Jacques Blaauw 69 70 67 77

284 – Jaco Van Zyl 73 71 67 73

285 – Merrick Bremner 75 66 73 71, Daniel Greene 67 72 72 74, Alex Haindl 72 68 70 75

287 – Oliver Bekker 74 70 75 68, Ruan Conradie 73 70 74 70, Jean Hugo 72 72 70 73

288 – Louis de Jager 76 69 72 71, Jaco Prinsloo 74 67 72 75

290 – Stephen Ferreira 76 72 71 71, JC Ritchie 69 74 75 72, Toto Thimba Jnr 72 69 73 76

292 – Estiaan Conradie 77 75 67 73, Dylan Naidoo 75 71 66 80

293 – Steve Surry 75 67 72 79

295 – CJ du Plessis 73 72 74 76

296 – Jake Roos 75 71 76 74

297 – Callum Mowat 76 72 71 78

300 – Ruan de Smidt 78 76 71 75

– Sunshine Tour

 





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