Louis de Jager looked as if he was going to have a big say in the outcome of the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown at Aphrodite Hills Resort in Paphos, Cyprus on Sunday, but a double-bogey six on the 16th saw him slip to a share of ninth instead.
He’d also bogeyed the 10th to set his charge back after three birdies in his opening nine, but a birdie on 14 saw him back in the mix with the likes of German Bernd Ritthammer, American Johannes Veerman, playing partner Masahiro Kawamura of Japan and young left-handed Scot Robert MacIntyre.
In the end, De Jager signed for a two-under 69 in the final round after he was one of the top 16 players and ties to make into Sunday action in the tournament with a difference. With scores reset to par for the 19 who played on Sunday, it was a sprint for the line.
And it was MacIntyre who turned on the magic after a bogey on the third hole set him back after a birdie on the second. He made two more birdies to reach the turn in two under 36. But he had saved his best for the homeward nine, and he reeled off five birdies in a flawless display of attacking golf to get his maiden European Tour title.
He finished with a good mid-range birdie putt on the par-three 17th, and then reached the green in two on the par-five 18th in two. He just pushed his eagle attempt wide and calmly made the remaining one-footer for the victory in just his second season on the tour. De Jager’s finish will lift him to 117 in the Race to Dubai ranking ahead of the three South African tournaments co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and the European Tour – the Joburg Open on November 19, the Alfred Dunhill Championship on November 26, and the SA Open on December 3. That’s a good springboard for him to chase a spot in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on December 10.
