The DP World Tour crowned its third first-time winner in as many events as the SDC Championship played out to a dramatic play-off conclusion. Here is everything you need to know from the first of two back-to-back co-sanctioned events with the Sunshine Tour.
Gumberg edges out home favourite Williams
Jordan Gumberg was left to toast a life-changing maiden DP World Tour title after beating home hope Robin Williams in a play-off at St. Francis Links.
The American, playing in just his 14th event on the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group, made a birdie putt from around 15 feet at the second extra hole to triumph.
Gumberg started the day three shots off the lead but fired a flawless 68 on Sunday to finish at 12 under alongside Williams, who had led for much of the day after carding four early birdies, but he surrendered a double bogey at the 17th.
With the victory, he has opened doors: exemption on tour taking him up to the end of 2025; the prospect of participation at Rolex Series events; and the chance to play at the prestigious DP World Tour Championship in November if he can remain among the top 50 on the Race to Dubai.
“It changes my life, really,” said the 28-year-old, who has played around the world on both the DP World Tour and European Challenge Tour over the past few years.
“With what I have accomplished here, I can pick my own schedule and set a plan for the year which is something I have never been able to do. Really looking forward to that.”
Gumberg now sits 15th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, tenth on the International Swing Rankings, and will climb close to the top 250 on the Official World Golf Ranking.
Williams proud of performance
Touted as a future star while in his teens, Williams produced his best performance on the global stage and pledged to learn from the experience.
Having won for the first time on the Sunshine Tour last year, the South African was bidding to win his first title in a DP World Tour sanctioned event.
While there was inevitable disappointment at coming up just short in that bid on this occasion, the 22-year-old – who made his first professional start at the British Masters as a 16-year-old – was focusing on the positives.
“Seeing other names close to mine on the leaderboard, like Jamie Donaldson, Andy Sullivan and Thriston Lawrence, all golfers who I admire greatly, has given me a huge boost in confidence,” he said in a post on social media.
“And a belief that I have the game to compete at this level. With hard work you can achieve anything.”
Next up, Williams will look to mount another title challenge on home soil at this week's Jonsson Workwear Open, another co-sanctioned event with the Sunshine Tour.
Ravetto rides momentum to shine again in South Africa
Less than a month on from claiming his maiden Challenge Tour title at the Dimension Data Pro-Am, David Ravetto secured his best-ever finish on the DP World Tour.
The Frenchman carded his third two-under-par 70 of the week in the final round to claim solo third spot as he finished two shot adrift of being in the play-off.
As a result of the performance, the 26-year-old makes a big leap in the Race to Dubai, climbing from 132nd to 43rd.
Lying third on the Challenge Tour’s early Road to Mallorca Rankings, he will be targeting promotion and the full DP World Tour status that comes with it should he not break through to claim silverware in his limited DP World Tour starts over the rest of the season.
Brown overcomes travel chaos to impress
While it wasn’t the final-round performance he would have hoped for, Daniel Brown’s overriding reflection on the week will be positive.
It started in unsettling fashion, with the Englishman missing a flight from Frankfurt on Monday, before eventually arriving on site in Eastern Cape late on Wednesday afternoon.
Despite all that, he made light of his late arrival to card an opening 66 and sit one off the lead after the first round.
"It's been the worst preparation for a golf tournament I think I've ever had and I played really nice,” he said on Thursday.
"It just goes to show it's a silly game. You can prepare for two, three, four days and you think you've cracked it. But it was a bit of a whirlwind of a 48 hours, to say the least.”
Rounds of 67 and 72 on days two and three meant he held a share of the lead heading into the final day, but a closing 75 saw him finish in a six-way tie for fourth place.
