It will come with experience, but in the meantime, Aldrich Potgieter will have to internalise the lessons learned from dropped shots down the stretch of Gary Player Country Club after he lost out on a golden opportunity to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Sunday.

But, in truth, it was the earlier double-bogey and triple-bogey – probably equally the product of pressure on a 20-year-old – that saw Johannes Veerman of the United States gratefully grab the glittering trophy which was handed to him.

Veerman started the day five strokes off the lead but carded six birdies and three bogeys in testing conditions to set a five-under-par clubhouse target for the final groups to aim at. And it went right to the wire, with a bogey on the last denying Potgieter the chance to face Veerman in a play-off.

Potgieter had looked on course to claim a memorable home win when the third-round leader restored his three-shot overnight advantage with a birdie at the 10th.

But on a breathless afternoon, he surrendered a triple bogey at the par-three 12th to hand Veerman a shock lead.

There were twists and turns still to come, though, as for the second day in succession the 14th gave Potgieter cause for hope, with a brilliant birdie putting him back in front.

But with Veerman safely parring the 18th to head into the clubhouse on five-under, Potgieter bogeyed the 16th to join him on that number before missing a good birdie chance on the 17th.

That left the pair locked together at the summit as Potgieter teed off on the 18th, where a closing bogey handed Veerman an emotional victory on his Sun City debut.

Potgieter, Romain Langasque and Matthew Jordan finished in a tie for second one shot behind Veerman.

“I was preparing for a play-off. I really was in the mindset I was going to go back out there and play again. When Aldrich made bogey on 18, I was almost thunderstruck. Aldrich is a world-class player and is going to do amazing things in his career. But the closing stretch of holes is so difficult out here. I knew if I could just par those I might have a chance,” said Veerman.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Ockie Strydom finished in a share of sixth on two-under-par after closing rounds of 72 each, while Thriston Lawrence finished on level-par in a share of 14th after he closed with a good two-under-par 70.