Golf

Coetzee defends De Zalze title

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George Coetzee with the Vodacom Origins of Golf trophy

George Coetzee celebrated his first Sunshine Tour victory on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series, as he successfully defended his title at De Zalze Golf Club on Saturday.

Coetzee claimed a two-stroke win in the Winelands for his fifth victory overall on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series, which started 15 years ago when he announced himself with a win on the series in his rookie season on the Sunshine Tour.

It’s an achievement that now places him second on his own on the all-time list of winners in the series after Jean Hugo, who has 11 titles.

Coetzee withstood a strong challenge from England’s Joe Long and closed with a 67 to win on 21 under par. Long had closed to within a shot of Coetzee with three holes to play, but then bogeyed the 18th as he took second place on 19 under with a final round of 67.

Kyle Barker finished third on 15 under par in one of his best performances on the Sunshine Tour, signing for a 66.

Jaco Prinsloo continued his good form as he followed up his win in last week’s FNB Eswatini Nkonyeni Challenge with a sixth-place finish at De Zalze. Prinsloo has now finished third, ninth, first and sixth in his past four Sunshine Tour events.

This was the opening tournament of the 2022 Vodacom Origins of Golf series, with the next event taking place in Mpumalanga at the Highland Gate Golf & Trout Estate at the end of this month.

Photo: Twitter/@Sunshine_Tour