Altin van der Merwe emerged victorious from a dramatic three-way playoff against Christiaan Maas and Ivan Verster to win the inaugural Africa Amateur Championship on Sunday at Leopard Creek in Malelane, South Africa.
The three South Africans finished deadlocked on 13-under-par after the regulation 72 holes, with van der Merwe seeing an eagle chance at the last slip agonisingly past the hole, but he held his nerve in sudden death to seal the championship with a birdie on the par-5 18th.
“It’s awesome to be the new Africa Amateur champion,” said van der Merwe, who shot a final-round 2-under 70. “It’s an unbelievable feeling, but I don’t think it’ll kick in until later.
“The two competitors I played with are two great friends, and we went back and forth throughout the day. I think all three of us had the lead at one stage. On the last hole, I just pulled a blinder of an approach out, and in the playoff, I made a good two-putt. I can't describe the feeling. It means everything to me.”
The 27-year-old van der Merwe has earned exemptions into the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon, the Amateur Championship, the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions.
“I can't wait to play in the Open,” van der Merwe said. “Honestly, I can't wait. It's links golf as well, so I'm going to be licking my chops out there with just a little sting 2-iron all day, and I just can't wait until the time comes.”
It was bitter disappointment and heartbreak for his compatriots. Having held the overnight lead, Verster slipped to a 1-over 73. His hopes of lifting the trophy ended in the playoff after over-shooting the green and finding water.
“I’m heartbroken just now,” said an emotional Verster after the playoff. “I mean, I played unbelievable golf for the first three rounds, so I have to be happy with my performance in some ways. I’ve enjoyed everything about this week, and the R&A has been absolutely incredible. It’s been a really special week at Leopard Creek, and it’s my favourite place in the world to be.”
Maas, the top-ranked player in the field at No. 13 in the world, could only muster up a level-par 72, and he left the door open for van der Merwe to claim the win after missing his birdie putt in the playoff.
“Today wasn’t a good performance,” said Maas, a sophomore at the University of Texas. “I felt like I had a couple of unlucky breaks early on, so I couldn’t get momentum. I felt like I could have made a lot more birdies on the back nine and holed the putts. This stuff happens, though, and that’s why we play golf. The way Altin finished was unbelievable.
“This week was a lot of fun, especially coming all the way home from America. I love this place, and Mr [Johann] Rupert [Leopard Creek’s owner] has always been nice to me with this place, so hopefully one day I can come down here and become a champion.”
Zimbabwe’s Matthew Bramford split the pack of South Africans at the top of the leaderboard with a final-round 68 to finish three shots further back on 10-under-par.
There was drama and excitement earlier in the round as Zimbabwe’s Keegan Shutt claimed the course record with a remarkable 10-under 62.
Starting on the 10th tee, the 17-year-old made six birdies on his front nine before following up with shots picked up on his 11th and 12th holes and then a brilliant eagle on the 15th.
“I’m buzzing; words can't express it,” said Shutt, who tied for eighth. “I don't know how I kept my nerves today, especially coming up to the closing holes. I’m just really glad that I held it together. This is my best round of golf competitively, and a 62 at this amazing course at Leopard Creek tops everything. Before the day, I would never have imagined being in this position. I’m just so happy that I managed to do it.”
On Friday, Kyra van Kan became the first-ever champion of the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational after completing a wire-to-wire victory at Leopard Creek.
The South African won the 54-hole event by nine shots over compatriot Bobbi Brown to clinch the title on a 1-under-par total of 215.
“I'm seriously overwhelmed,” van Kan said. “It’s such an amazing feeling. Finishing here on such a prestigious golf course, I’m really honoured to have played golf in front of Mr Rupert, the R&A and GolfRSA. It's just incredible, this feeling. I'm really honoured to have my name on that trophy.”
Rolex is an event partner of the Africa Amateur Championship, and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational and is committed to supporting the R&A’s professional and amateur championships. The Swiss watchmaker’s contribution to excellence in golf is based on a rich heritage stretching back almost 60 years, forged through pivotal partnerships at every level of the game, from the sport’s leading professional and amateur competitions and organisations, to players at the pinnacle of their discipline and younger talents embarking on their journey towards greatness.
For more information on the Africa Amateur Championship and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational, including competing players, visit www.randa.org.
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