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Herman Loubser with his Vodacom Origins of Golf-Parys Golf & Country Estate title

HERMAN Loubser described his play-off victory at the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Parys Golf & Country Estate on Sunday as an awesome feeling, after birdieing the first hole of a sudden-death play-off to secure the title.

Loubser and Yurav Premlall had both finished level on eight-under-par 208 after 54 holes of regulation play. Returning to the par-five 18th for the play-off, Loubser once again birdied the hole to seal the win.

It was the in-form Loubser’s second title on the Sunshine Tour. He also sits at the top of The Courier Guy Order of Merit with 908.76 points from six events. Speaking to Golf Africa, a delighted Loubser, who finished second at the FNB Eswatini Challenge last week and at the Mopani Zambia Open reflected on his performance saying it was an amazing feeling to have become a winner on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series. “I am supper happy to be Parys Vodacom Origins of Golf champion. I felt really good the whole day and was comfortable with my swing. I knew if I made birdie on the last that I would have a good chance of a play-off and then to pull it through with another birdie was just awesome. Big well done to Yurav on a great week,” he said. Loubser opened his campaign with an impressive five-under-par 67, which featured an eagle on the par-five 18th, five birdies, and two bogeys, giving him a one-stroke lead over Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi after the first round. He followed up with a level-par 72 on moving day, carding three birdies and three bogeys, which saw him slip to three strokes behind Premlall, who led at eight-under-par heading into the final round. In the final round, a crucial birdie on the 18th hole helped take the tournament into a play-off. He posted a closing three-under-par 69, a round that included seven birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey. Overnight leader Premlall signed for a level-par 72, with four birdies and four bogeys, unable to hold off Loubser’s charge. Pieter Moolman, George Coetzee, and Joe Long shared third place on six-under-par 210.

The Sunshine Tour now moves to Wingate Park Country Club for the SunBet Challenge hosted by Time Square, which tees off on Wednesday.