Haydn Porteous carded a dramatic eagle two at the first extra hole to edge out compatriot and friend Brandon Stone en route to his first professional title at the Barclays Kenya Open.
The 20 year old South African from Johannesburg hit a once in a life time three wood to just seven feet at the par four 12th en route to play-off victory, after signing for a closing 68 at Karen Country Club to pull alongside Stone at 17 under par, having trailed by one overnight.
In what was a ding-dong battle between the final group, Porteous got off to the ideal start with two birdies, before further gains followed at the fifth, 12th and 13th to cover dropped shots at the sixth and 14th.
As for Stone, who made six birdies of his own on Sunday to card a 69, the turning point came when he carded a double bogey at the par four 13th hole. That allowed Porteous to pull himself back into contention, and when the pair both birdied the par five last, extra holes were required to decide a victor.
For Porteous, this maiden triumph sees him cash in on the promise he had shown as an amateur, while also earning him a first full season of Challenge Tour action.
“It hasn’t sunk in just yet, but I am sure when I wake up tomorrow morning I will know exactly what I’ve done,” said Porteous, who was ranked the best amateur in his native South Africa. “It was nerve-wracking out there today and certainly not boring.
“He was two shots ahead, then I was two shots ahead, then we were even down the last and ended up making two clutch putts for birdie before the play-off. Then, it was a once in a life-time eagle.
“It was a great way to finish it, and this is what I was playing for, to win and get an exemption on the Challenge Tour. Hopefully if I have a good season now and I will get a European Tour card, so to win was unbelievable. Unbelievable.
“I handled the pressure OK, apart from on the greens where I struggled a little with the nerves, but apart from that I kept the ball in play and all the other things I needed to do to keep myself in it. Then at the end of the day, to win in a play-off was great.
“It is not ideal to have to beat one of your companions, but at the end of the day there has to be a winner, and unfortunately for him he was runner-up.
“I think I will have a quiet one tonight, as I have an early flight back to Joburg tomorrow morning. Then when I get home it will be time to celebrate.”
The South African pair may have taken much of the attention on the final day in Kenya, but there was plenty of exemplary play elsewhere in the closing 18 holes, not least from George Woolgar who signed for a 67 on Sunday to finish one stroke back in third.
That is the best finish of the Englishman’s career, as he finished a shot clear of compatriot Sam Walker in fourth, after the three-time Challenge Tour winner posted a 69 to close.
He was a further shot ahead of 2013 graduate Daan Huizing at 13 under, after the Netherlands native finished with a 71, while Sweden’s Jens Fahrbring (67), Jaakko Makitalo of Finland (68) and Victor Riu (68) from France all finished in a share of sixth.
Dimsas Indiza Anyonyi finished the event as top Kenyan, despite a 75 on Sunday that saw him drop back into a share of 28th, having entered the final round in the top ten.
*Connection issues on venue have prevented the scores coming through as normal, these will be sent out once they arrive.
