The third and final round of the Vodacom Origins saw a dramatic end as Herman Loubser captured his second win on the Sunshine Tour, defeating round two leader Yurav Premlall on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
The two leaders finished on eight-under-par for the week, eight strokes ahead of Dublin’s Rowan Lester with Mullingar’s Liam Grehan a further four strokes back.
A steady round for Lester saw him finish in a well-earned T20 as the 29-year-old kept composure after a bogey on the first hole.
Another bogey followed on the eighth, but Lester regrouped and made three birdies as he posted a one-under-par round three, seeing him finish his week’s work at even-par.
Unfortunately, it was a day to forget for Grehan as the form the 29-year-old had in round one slowly disappeared over the weekend.
Three bogeys on the first four holes put his back against the wall as he dropped down the leaderboard.
The Sunshine Tour rookie managed to card a birdie on the par-5 ninth, but two more bogeys followed on the back nine as Grehan ended his round three and his weekend at five-over-par, dropping to T49.
It may have been a disappointing weekend for the Irish but was not the case for the South Africans, as two of their finest young golfers battled well at the top of the leaderboard.
Seven birdies for 26-year-old Herman Loubser showed that he is one of the best on the Sunshine Tour and 22-year-old Yurav Premlall will be disappointed to lose via playoff but must take great pride in how he performed throughout the week.
The playoff between the two South African’s took place on the par-5 18th hole, as large crowds gathered around to watch.
An impressive birdie by Loubser earned him the win in the playoff, as Premlall could only manage to make par.
The Sunshine Tour now takes itself to Wingate Park Country Club for the Sunbet Challenge on the 20th of August.
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