A stunning front nine of six-under-par 29 on Tuesday from Keegan McLachlan ensured he won the second of the Bushveld Tour’s Hayes Family Trophy-Elite Series #2at Killarney Golf Club by three strokes.
McLachlan, who was one off the halfway lead of the 36-hole tournament with his opening 68, hinted down the leaders Ricky Hendler, Kyle de Beer and Dylan Naidoo with an early blitz of four consecutive birdies from the first hole. Two more gains on seven and eight saw him reach the turn on the par-70 course in six-under 29. Although he made bogeys on 13 and 15, he birdied the 17th to put an exclamation point on his victory.
Hendler’s closing 69 was enough to take him to four-under through 18 in second. He was, in turn, three clear of Dan Erickson and De Beer who shared third. Amateur Judd Sundelson, Brandon Smith and Naidoo shared fifth on level-par.
The victory, together with one in the first of the series, cements McLachlan’s place at the top of the 2023-24 season Bushveld Tour Order of Merit, with winnings of over R55,000 in six tournaments.
