MICHAEL VLISMAS, Phalaborwa | Sunday 1.00pm.
ANDRE Cruse carded a course record 10-under par 62 and ended a six-year win drought with his three-stroke victory in the Vodacom Series: Mpumalanga at the Hans Merensky Golf Club on Saturday.
Cruse’s spectacular round was two strokes better than the previous course record of 64 set by Sammy Daniels in the Mafunyane Trophy here last year, and included a back nine of 30.
The 33-year-old, who began the final day five shots behind second round leader Justin Hobday, finished the tournament on 14-under par 202.
Nico van Rensburg took second place on 11-under after a 68, while Hobday (72 in the final round) shared third with Brett Liddle (67) and Richard Kaplan (67) on nine-under 207.
“It was just my day at the office,” said an elated Cruse who, before this victory, had been stuck on 13 amateur wins, 13 professional wins, and had to play a second round here this week on Friday 13th.
“I think I’ll change my attitude about the number 13 now. It seems like it’s a good omen,” he joked.
The emotional triumph brings to an end a frustrating past few years in the game for the silver-haired Cruse.
His golf was severely affected by the deterioration of his eyesight, particularly in the left eye.
Several operations failed to fully rectify the situation, but Cruse claims to have found the answer in the long handle putter he used for the first time this week.
Overnight leader Hobday got off to a disastrous start when he bogeyed his first two holes to throw the tournament wide open.
Cruse birdied his opening two holes and a further two birdies – one
from a chip in at the sixth – saw him turn in four-under for the day, placing him right in the thick of early charges from both Kaplan and Ashley Roestoff on eight-under for the tournament.
But a sizzling back nine of 30, featuring six birdies, including four in a row from the turn, shot him into a comfortable five-stroke clubhouse lead.
Van Rensburg could only take back two of those for Cruse to win by three. — MWP