Paul Lawrie of Scotland became the fourth person to win both the Dimension Data Pro-Am and The Open Championship when he took the 2017 Dimension Data Pro-Am by one stroke on Sunday. However, unlike the others, The Open win came first.

He joined Nick Price, Darren Clarke and Louis Oosthuizen as the only players to win both, but he won his major championship back in 1999.

He held off the challenges from Justin Hicks of the United States, local player Chris Swanepoel and England’s Chris Lloyd after rounds on each of the courses at Fancourt Hotel and Golf Estate, and then the final round on Montagu.

Lawrie was bogey-free in his final round of five-under-par 67 after turning in three under, and in the end, the other players were unable to take advantage of whichever chances came their way. ‘I got off to a nice start today and just kept it going,’ he said.

‘But, again, I didn’t make a lot of putts on the back nine. I birdied 10 with about a six-footer and I two-putted the last for birdie. But overall, I’m obviously delighted. I haven’t won in four years, so it’s great to come here and win – especially playing with my son.’

He was partnered with son Michael for the tournament, as was Lee Westwood, the 2000 Dimension Data Pro-Am champion, with his son Sam.

With a friendly wager on the outcome, honours were even. ‘Any time Lee Westwood’s in the field, you’ve got to play well,’ he said.

And Lawrie, in joining Westwood as a winner of the tournament, has given himself a good start to his golfing year. ‘The win gives me a big boost,’ he said. ‘Tee-to-green this week, I’ve hardly put a foot wrong all week, and I’ve holed a few putts. I’m going to take a bit of a break now and spend a few weeks at home and come back with that boost in my confidence.’

In addition, he gets a place in the WGC-Bridgestone Championship. ‘I didn’t know that I got into the WGC-Bridgestone event until last night – maybe that’s why I played so well today,’ he said. ‘But that’s a nice bonus. First and foremost you’re here to play as well as you can, and if you’ve got a chance on the back nine and you take it, then the bonuses come.’

He accepted the challenge for the title with his opening three rounds of 69-69-69, which put him two off the pace going into the final round.

‘Yesterday afternoon, I hit it really nicely and didn’t make any putts on the back nine,’ he said. ‘I kind of felt I was playing really well, and then it fell into place today.’

Picture of Lawrie courtesy of Petri Oeschger/Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images

Final Round Scores
274 – Paul Lawrie 69 69 69 67
275 – Justin Hicks 70 71 68 66, Chris Swanepoel 69 70 66 70, Chris Lloyd 68 71 66 70
276 – Toby Tree 69 73 66 68, Lyle Rowe 70 72 68 66, Christiaan Bezuidenhout 68 77 64 67
277 – Danie van Tonder 70 67 71 69, Laurie Canter 64 73 69 71, Jeff Winther 70 68 68 71, Dylan Frittelli 67 68 71 71, Wallie Coetsee 66 71 69 71, Jared Harvey 69 68 69 71
278 – Hennie Otto 69 71 73 65, Ockie Strydom 69 68 70 71, George Coetzee 67 68 70 73
279 – Ruan de Smidt 69 67 72 71, Jaco Ahlers 65 68 74 72, Lee Westwood 68 74 67 70, Oliver Bekker 72 68 69 70, Dean Burmester 69 74 66 70, Mark Williams 66 71 69 73, Le Roux Ferreira 66 70 74 69
280 – Mark Murless 71 68 71 70, Anthony Michael 67 70 72 71, Jean Hugo 69 68 68 75
281 – Michael Hollick 74 73 67 67, Erik van Rooyen 70 74 69 68, Vaughn Groenewald 70 73 70 68, Lee Slattery 69 73 69 70, Doug McGuigan 67 73 69 72, Alex Haindl 69 72 68 72
282 – Martin Rominger 69 72 74 67, Merrick Bremner 71 76 67 68, Rhys Enoch 71 67 71 73
283 – Colin Nel 69 72 74 68, Madalitso Muthiya 72 75 68 68, Riekus Nortje 70 71 72 70, Allan Versfeld 69 72 72 70, Peter Karmis 72 70 71 70, Christiaan Basson 73 66 71 73, Wynand Dingle 70 71 67 75, Jonathan Agren 69 69 73 72
284 – Neil Schietekat 71 70 75 68, Andrew Georgiou 70 70 72 72, Grant Veenstra 71 68 76 69
285 – Teaghan Gauche 71 69 76 69, Matthew Carvell 71 69 76 69, Steven Ferreira 69 71 76 69, Keith Horne 68 76 69 72
286 – CJ du Plessis 75 73 68 70, Tyrone Ferreira 69 70 73 74
287 – Tjaart van der Walt 71 73 71 72, Darren Fichardt 72 72 71 72, Makhetha Mazibuko 70 70 74 73, Musiwalo Nethunzwi 71 73 68 75, Trevor Fisher Jnr 70 69 73 75, Morten Orum Madsen 72 74 69 72
288 – Stuart Smith 69 77 70 72, Jaco Prinsloo 70 75 68 75
289 – Bradley Neil 71 71 74 73, Heinrich Bruiners 67 78 71 73, Louis de Jager 75 67 71 76
290 – Jbe’ Kruger 70 75 71 74, Andre de Decker 70 73 68 79, Keenan Davidse 72 68 76 74
291 – Jake Redman 70 71 72 78, Theunis Spangenberg 73 67 72 79
292 – Wil Bateman 69 74 73 76