Daniel van Tonder produced a sensational back-nine fight back to secure a maiden HotelPlanner Tour title in a play-off in the SDC Open at Zebula Golf Estate & Spa.
The South African birdied each of his closing four holes to set the clubhouse lead at 16 under par before triumphing on the first extra play-off hole against overnight leader Altin van der Merwe.
Van Tonder started the day seven shots behind Van der Merwe but signed for a five under par round of 67 to take it to a play-off, before parring the first extra hole to make sure of a memorable victory.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “I’ve been playing this event for a while and I’ve always liked this course.
“This year my game was quite good, I gave myself a few chances and used them, so it was fun.
“Every win is special but being behind by, I think it was seven or eight shots at one point, to come out with a win, isn’t too bad.
“No win is easy, but this win is definitely up there as one of my best.”
Van Tonder, who had won twice on the Sunshine Tour already this season, made it three with victory in Limpopo, in the first of four co-sanctioned events with the HotelPlanner Tour, and now climbs to the top of the Sunshine Tour’s Order of Merit.
The 33-year-old won the Kenya Savannah Classic supported by Absa on the DP World Tour in 2021, coming out on top in a play-off on that occasion too, and says he enjoyed chasing the leaders down on the final day.
“I’ve been doing this for a while and I like to chase a few scores now and then, and just put some pressure on,” he added. “I managed to take my chances to do just that, and then waited to see what happened.
“I was actually licking my lips at the chance of an eagle at the last hole, thinking that would make everything a bit easier, but I’ve always enjoyed a playoff. I’ve won a couple of them before.”
Liam Nolan carded a five under par round of 67 to finish in solo third on 15 under par, with Frenchman Sébastien Gros one shot further back in fourth.
Five players shared fifth place on 12 under par, including South African duo Wilco Nienaber and Jason Roets, Norwegian Baard Skogen and Scotland’s David Law, who fired a round-of-the-week nine under par 63 on the final day to climb the leaderboard.
Nolan’s third place finish in the opening event of the HotelPlanner Tour season sees him occupy the Number One spot in the year-long Road to Mallorca Rankings.
The Road to Mallorca remains in South Africa for the MyGolfLife Open hosted by Pecanwood Estate, taking place from January 30-February 2.
