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Joe Sullivan: Image Credit - Betway Big Easy Tour

JOE Sullivan secured his maiden title on the Betway Big Easy Tour after registering a play-off victory at the Blue Label Invitational 2 at Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday.

The 23 year old England national defeated Tristan Leonard from South Africa on the first hole of sudden-death after both players finished on three-under-par 207 after 54 holes of golf. Sullivan played a long putt to birdie the play-off and win the title.

Speaking after his victory, Sullivan was impressed with how he played, especially the play-off. “As I said previously, I stick to my process. I have a process that goes into every week, but unfortunately, I can’t reveal what it is. The process is important to me, and it keeps me calm and in the moment. “That play-off is one for the history books, for sure. It was not my best tee shot; down the left-hand side, I had 190 yards to the pin and decided to hit it right of the bunker. It, somehow, skipped across the water and onto the green, to 75 feet, and I holed it. I couldn’t complain about that one, the putter was hot this week,” he said. He added: “What a moment. I have been grinding hard, and it felt like the win has been coming over the last couple of weeks, so it’s nice to finally get it done.” Sullivan started the tournament with a three-under-par 67 in the first round and followed it up by carding one-under-par 69 in the second round. He then dropped a shot in the third and final round, signing for a closing 71 while Leonard shot two-under-par 68 to tie for position one. Sullivan joins fellow Englishman Harry Konig, veteran Ulrich van den Berg and member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, Lyle Pedro, in the winner’s category for this season, an achievement he hopes will help accelerate his pursuit of a Sunshine Tour card for next season.

He also now tops the Big Easy Tour Order of Merit with 398.55 from four tournaments while Konig is second with 323.93 points from three tournaments. In third place there is van den Berg with 295.81 from three tournaments as well. The top 12 players at the end of the season will earn their Sunshine Tour playing privileges for next season. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit.