MICHAEL VLISMAS, Witbank | Sunday 6.15pm.
BOBBY Lincoln has been around long enough for South Africa’s golfing public to get used to those strange putters he always comes up with, whether they be golf balls stuck to the back of the putting face, or a putter modelled on the barrel of a rifle.
However, it was a very ordinary looking putter that saw the veteran professional win a three-way play-off for victory in the Vodacom Tour’s R100000 Bearing Man Highveld Classic at the Witbank Golf Club on Sunday.
Lincoln, Darren Fichardt and Zimbabwe’s Lyall McNeill all finished the regulation 54 holes on seven-under par 209.
But playing the 18th again, Lincoln sunk a curling 30-foot putt for birdie to secure victory and a cheque for R15700, while his opponents both walked of with pars and shared second place.
This was Lincoln’s third play-off in this tournament, with him losing the other two, and earns him a victory before the new millennium.
“I’ve won in the Eighties and the Nineties, now I want to win in the year 2000,” joked Lincoln.
The gritty blond professional got off to a flying start in the final round, which he began at four-under and two shots behind overnight leader Wallie Coetsee.
Coetsee dropped four shots in his first five holes to allow the rest of the field in.
Lincoln, in contrast, birdied four of his first five and battled for the lead with Fichardt, with the duo locked on seven-under playing the last.
Fichardt let victory slip from his grasp when he missed a three-footer for birdie at the par-four 18th.
His 69 was matched by Lincoln, and it was now up to McNeill to make a run for victory.
The young Zimbabwean took up the challenge with a birdie at the
par-five 17th, taking him to eight-under and sole leader.
However, he opted for driver off the 18th tee instead of a three-wood, and found the right hand rough with no shot to the green.
After chipping out, McNeill then left a sand wedge way short and squandered his chance of a par for victory, walking off with a bogey for a 70 and as a reluctant inclusion in the three-way play-off. — MWP