Class act Strydom strikes again

KEMPTON Park pro Ockie Strydom continued his dominance of the 2016 IGT Tour season when he defeated North West amateur Aubrey Beckley in a play-off to claim his fifth title at the Centurion Challenge on Wednesday.

With this win, the 29-year-old GFG Academy player extended his winning tally on the country’s premier development circuit to a record 12 victories.

Strydom and Beckley began the final round at Centurion Country Club as joint leaders at 13 under and they deadlocked at 16-under-par 200 at the end of regulation play with matching rounds of 69.

Pretoria amateur, Tristen Strydom, had assumed pole position through nine holes but also closed with a 69 to finish third on 15 under, while amateur Danie van Niekerk from North West carded a 70 to take fourth at 202.

Last month Strydom replaced Danie van Tonder at the top of the IGT Tour All-Time Career Winner’s list when he pushed his trophy haul to 11 at the Waterkloof Challenge.

“I’m really pleased with this win,” said Strydom. “The confidence that I built over the five weeks on the IGT Tour prepared me well to restart the Sunshine Tour after the long winter break. I shared second at the Wild Coast and finished third at Sun City.

“It’s a great feeling to get number 12 in the bag, because it was a really tight fight. I dedicate this one to my wife Marizanne, my coach Graeme Francis and my caddie Armando Botes.

“No matter how it goes on course, they always give me the same measure of support and I’m grateful that I can repay their trust and support with a trophy finish.”

Strydom faltered early on with a double bogey at the 11th, his second hole of the day, when he hit his tee shot in the waste bunker and overshot the green with his second shot.

He reversed half the damage with a birdie at 12 and further gains at 14 and 15 saw him turn one stroke behind two-time IGT Tour winner Strydom, who reached 15 under with a flawless opening loop of 33 strokes.

Beckley, meanwhile, countered three dropped shots with a trio of birdies on the front nine to start the last loop two off the pace.

Strydom birdied the first to pull level with his namesake, but the Pretoria amateur boxed a birdie putt at the third hole to edge in front again.

“I prayed that just for once, the ninth hole at Centurion would be kind to me. Naturally, I snap-hooked the tee shot into the water. I don’t know what it is about that hole but it always bites me. So I bogeyed and Aubrey made a great birdie and there we were, tied at 16 under and going back to the ninth tee for the play-off.

“At last the golfing gods smiled on me. I hit my tee shot on the green and Aubrey found the bunker. He hit a great trap-shot for his second and I lagged my first putt close. Aubrey’s birdie putt lipped out, so I just had to tap-in for the win.”