Kempton’s Froneman pips Spacey for maiden win

Kempton Park’s Jason Froneman produced some stunning golf at crucial moments to secure a maiden Big Easy IGT Challenge Tour title in a play-off at Silver Lakes Golf Club on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old burst into contention with a birdie on the par five 15th and a lucky bounce on the par five 18th, which netted him the birdie he needed for a final round 69 to tie clubhouse leader Matthew Spacey on nine-under-par 207.

“It’s a great feeling to get my hands on a trophy,” said Froneman, who won at the first extra hole.

“I’ve been trending towards this win for the past couple of tournaments and after the tie for second last week at Reading, I felt I could win. I had a terrible front nine but things went my way on the back nine and I played the last nine holes really well. I am psyched for the last two events after this.”

Froneman was three off the pace and Spacey a further stroke back with Clayton Mansfield leading the field on nine-under at the start of the final round.

Froneman responded brilliantly in extra time.

“I was feeling great but when I heard we were playing the ninth first, I got a bit nervous. I misjudged the wind in regulation play and bogeyed the hole, but we discussed it and I decided to go with a nine-iron this time and just hit it to the middle of the green,” he said.

“Matthew just missed the green on the right, so I committed to the shot and got on the green. Matthew chipped to about six foot and I lagged my downhill putt to a foot to force him to make par.

“When he missed, fortunately for me, I was really excited because I knew I wasn’t going to miss that putt.”

The victory propelled Froneman to eighth in the Road to Sunshine Tour rankings and he is within striking distance of regaining his Sunshine Tour card.

“It was a big disappointment when I lost my card earlier this year. I tore a ligament in my knee and was out for eight months last year.

“The Sunshine Tour gave me a medical exemption but I had six tournaments at the start of the season to try and keep my card.

“I came up short but the Big Easy IGT Challenge Tour is a huge lifeline. My coach, Adrian van Pletzen, at the World of Golf has worked with me to get my swing straighter and in the last couple of weeks it started to pay off.

“Today I got the result I wanted. I believe in my swing and in myself. Just need to keep this momentum going for two more weeks to get inside that top six to get one of the automatic Sunshine Tour cards for next season.”