NICO van Rensburg claimed one of the biggest victory margins in the history of South African golf when he won the Vodacom Series: Gauteng by a devastating 11-strokes at the Silver Lakes Country Club on Sunday. The magnitude of Van Rensburg’s victory is put into perspective when you consider that this was a 54-hole event. Van Rensburg had already laid the platform for the successful defence of his title in the first two rounds of this Vodacom Tour event, earning him a commanding six-shot lead going into a breezy final day. He returned a bogey-free four-under 68 on a day when even a 78 would have won him the title, his first for 2000. Van Rensburg’s 54-hole total of 16-under par 200 was also a stroke better than his 15-under par victory mark set at Zwartkop Country Club last year. The battle for second place on Sunday was a far more keenly contested one. Andre Cruse and Ashley Roestoff started the final round as Van Rensburg’s nearest challengers. Roestoff was the first to fall by the wayside, and a disappointing 78 pulled him back to level par for the tournament. Cruse was more consistent, but failed to get his round going. A 73 from the first round leader ensured him joint second place with Justin Hobday, who returned a 72, at five-under par 211.
CASTLE PREMIERSHIP RESULTS
Sunday.
At Makhulong Stadium: Classic 0 AmaZulu 1 (Pollen Ndlanya 90); At Kings Park: African Wanderers 0 Bloemfontein Celtic 1; At Independence Stadium: Bush Bucks 5 Moroka Swallows 1.
Saturday.
At FNB Stadium: Orlando Pirates 2 (Phumlani Mkhize 8, 62) Hellenic 0; At Greenpoint Stadium: Santos 0 Free State Stars 1 (Philemon Tsiu 14); At Chatsworth Stadium: Manning Rangers 2 (Liswa Nduti 78, 86) Mother City 1 (Fadlu Davids 70)