Oliver Bekker won his first European Challenge Tour title courtesy of a second victory at the Dimension Data Pro-Am after a memorable final day at Fancourt Golf Estate.
The South African carried a five-stroke advantage into the final round and kept his cool throughout the day to post a four under par round of 68 on the Montagu course and finish on 22 under, four clear of Sweden’s Adam Blommé.
The 38-year-old’s single birdie on the front nine meant he made the turn at one under par, before closing out victory in style with four birdies and a single bogey coming home.
Bekker won the Dimension Data Pro-Am in 2012 before it was co-sanctioned between the Challenge Tour and Sunshine Tour, and he was delighted to seal his second triumph at the spectacular Fancourt Golf Estate in-front of home crowds.
“It feels amazing to win here in front of my family and friends,” he said. “It’s not often you play a golf tournament, and you have 100 people you know following you. I’m so happy to be here and I was pleased with how I closed it out today.
“I started the day with a big lead, so I did play quite safe. I had my eye on the leaderboard so I made sure I wasn’t too aggressive. I saw a couple of guys getting close to me and then I started to make a few birdies which relieved the pressure.
“I didn’t want to let anybody down today,” he added. “I know the course so well and I had to try and play more conservatively this week. It’s been 11 years since I won here and it feels so special to win again because so much has changed. I’m married, got kids and playing on the DP World Tour.”
Blommé fought till the end on a scorching hot day in George, however had to settle for second place after posting a six under par round of 66 to finish on 18 under, while South African Hennie O’Kennedy and England’s Chris Paisley were two shots further back in third place.
Three-time DP World Tour winner Brandon Stone finished in fifth on 15 under par, while Ireland’s Conor Purcell, South African JJ Senekal and Frenchman Ugo Coussaud completed the top ten, finishing on 14 under.
Blommé catapults to second on the Road to Mallorca Rankings on 302 points following his second place finish, while Coussaud is 31 points behind in third. Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith is still in pole position on 320 points following his victory at last week’s Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open.
The Road to Mallorca remains in South Africa for the SDC Open from February 16-19 at Zebula Golf Estate & Spa.
