Monster putts secure victory
Benoni’s Dean O’Riley (24) is a very happy golfer after securing victory by three shots, at the ERPM Golf Club, in Boksburg, on Friday, August 23, in the 11th and final Sunshine Big Easy Tour event of the season.
He reached the clubhouse in a one-under-par 71 on Friday, which, coupled with his Thursday 65, earned him an eight-under-par total over second placed amateur Zander Lombard and Francois Coetzee.
“It has been two years since my last big win (at Big Easy Kempton Park in 2011), so it feels good to be back on the winning trail,” said the professional from Ebotse Golf and Country Estate.
O’Riley drained three monster putts that were well over 12 feet over the closing holes at ERPM, to achieve victory at the two-day event.
He said his plan was to go out onto the course and keep the ball in play, by hitting the fairways and greens.
“I put myself under pressure in the early stages of the round, but managed to close well,” he said.
The golfer added that he has been working extremely hard on his short game lately and attributes his successful long putts to this hard work.
O’Riley came second after a play-off at the Big Easy ERPM event in 2011 and said he felt that the course “owed him one”.
The Ebotse golfer will now travel to the Wild Coast Sun Country Club for the Wild Waves Golf Challenge, and will be hoping to take his good form into this tournament.
In October, the Top 30 on the Order of Merit head to the Tour Championship at Ebotse Links and, with this victory, O’Riley has moved to ninth place on the earnings list.
“The Tour Championship is at my home course, so I will have an advantage there,” he said.
