FINAL ROUND WRAP: Bautista earns hard-fought breakthrough victory in Benoni

Just a few days after South Africa defeated Australia in the World Test Championship final, another epic battle between the two sporting rivals ensued on the fairways of Benoni Country Club.

It was not a team sport, this time.

On Thursday morning, Robertson Golf Club’s Jacquin Hess and the young Kayle Wykes arrived in Benoni leading after 36 holes. The two members of the Papwa Sewgolum Class held a single-shot lead over Australia’s Austin Bautista, who had backed up his opening 66 with a 71 on day two.

The two South Africans and an Australian in the final group. Things looked even after nine holes. And then the showdown began. After a level-par front nine, Wykes lost momentum on the back nine and shot 39 on that stretch to sign for 75. Then it became a back-and-forth match-up between Hess and Bautista as both players showed grit and resilience.

Bautista was one under on the front nine, and Hess was level-par. After the turn, where one player made a birdie, the other made a par, and vice versa from holes 10 to 13. Hess dropped on 14, and Bautista made par. They both birdied 16, and Bautista birdied the last to seal a round of 68 and claim a two-shot victory on a total 11-under-par 205.

“I got one up on you guys today,” Bautista joked, referring to the sporting rivalry between his country and South Africa.

“It was why I play professional golf,” said Bautista after his hard-fought win. “If you gave it to me more easily, I would probably not enjoy it as much. It was a really good battle, and Hessy played really well. I was trying to pull away, but it’s hard to win golf tournaments sometimes.”

'YOU HAVE TO GO FOR IT'

Bautista also remarked on his aggressive strategy coming down the stretch.

“You don’t win golf tournaments playing safe,” he said with assurance. “Maybe some places, but even in the US Open, JJ didn’t win because he hit middle of the green and two-putted; he won because he went for it.

“You have to go for it. You have to back yourself and believe in yourself. I did. I pulled off all the shots that I had to pull off.”

Bautista becomes the first Australian professional to win on the Betway Big Easy Tour, and with his triumph in the East Rand, he now moves to fifth on the Order of Merit. The top 12 players on the standings by the end of the campaign will earn their Sunshine Tour playing privileges for the next season.

The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit and enjoys the support of the legendary Ernie Els among other patrons.

SCORES

205 - Austin Bautista 66 71 68

207 - Jacquin Hess 66 70 71

210 - Vaughn van Deventer 72 67 71

211 - Kayle Wykes 70 66 75

213 - Sentanio Minnie 71 72 70, Joe Sullivan 76 66 71, Pearce Lewin 70 71 72

214 - Peter Karmis 72 74 68, Ryan Fricker 72 72 70, Jordan Duminy 69 71 74

216 - Austin Cherichella 74 71 71, Daniel Cronje 74 71 71, James Pennington 71 73 72, Richard Joubert 73 70 73

217 - LB Boshoff 78 68 71, Jacques Van der Merwe 68 77 72, Matt Millar 73 71 73

218 - Slenda Sithebe 73 73 72, Louis Liebenberg 73 71 74, Jaden Deltel 72 72 74, Thanda Mavundla 72 69 77

220 - Haydn Porteous 72 73 75, Tiger Adams 72 72 76

221 - Tyrone Ryan 72 74 75, Khanya Mkhize 70 75 76, Ryan van der Klis 69 74 78, Toto Thimba Jnr 73 70 78

222 - Thabiso Ngcobo 73 73 76, Musiwalo Nethunzwi 70 76 76, Ryan Tipping 71 72 79

225 - Travis Procter 72 74 79

227 - Teboho Sefatsa 75 71 81, Umar Davids 73 73 81

MISSED THE CUT:

147 - Leon Visser 70 77, Allister de Kock 74 73, Slade Pickering 72 75, Jeré Brits 73 74, Gary Kemp 74 73, Franklin Manchest 71 76, Reece Mc Kain 69 78, Wade Jacobs 76 71

148 - Karabo Mokoena 71 77, Lyle Pedro 75 73, John-George Pringle 73 75, Bradley De Beer 68 80, Logan Leisher 70 78, Steven Le Roux 71 77, Brandon-Jude Rennie 78 70

149 - Jabulane Mabilane 72 77, Jason Froneman 74 75, Thomas Spreadborough 74 75, Dillon Germshuys 76 73, Jason Broomhead 76 73, Trevor Mahoney 73 76, Andrew Williamson 73 76, Brandon Gildenhuys 75 74

150 - Lwazi Gqira 77 73, Liam Ross 74 76, Matthew Rushton 76 74, Warwick Purchase 74 76, Johnathan Ackerman 76 74, Tumelo Molloyi 77 73, Therion Nel 74 76, Jastice Mashego 76 74, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 73 77, Albert Venter 77 73, Marcus Sandile Taylor 77 73

151 - Behn Heyns 76 75, Hayden Garcia 74 77, Drikus Joubert 76 75

152 - Bernhard Koster 76 76, Eric Wowor 78 74, Brandon Pieters 71 81, Ruben Van Der Berg 76 76, Harry Konig 77 75, David Amm 76 76

154 - Evance Vukeya 74 80, Andre De Decker 76 78, Kyle Kistensamy 79 75, Philip Geerts 77 77, Amilkar Bhana 78 76, Caden Sanders 77 77, Keanu Pestana 77 77, Thabang Simon 78 76

156 - Ace Andile Adam 77 79, Christopher Long 80 76, Kael Strydom 78 78

157 - Tawriq Abrahams 82 75

158 - Shaheed Patel 79 79, Travis Ladner 77 81, Alphius Kelapile 81 77, Mandla Dlamini Jnr 76 82

159 - M-Jay Xaba 81 78

160 - Carl Mwale 78 82, Keelan Africa 80 80

161 - Matthew Dennis 80 81

162 - John Palm 79 83

163 - Shaunak Rama 83 80, Mark Maart 82 81

166 - Austin Mashego 77 89

WDN - Makhetha Mazibuko 77 WDN, Richard Kruger 86 WDN, Jarryd Govender RTD RTD, Irvin Mosate wa Mazibuko 81 RTD, Ronald Rugumayo 73 RTD