Pretoria: Daniel Hammond won ‘The Roar’ — the third and final event in the Mena Tour and Sunshine Big Easy Tour co-sanctioned South African swing — at the Waterkloof Golf Club in Pretoria, on Thursday.
Starting the final round one shot back, the 26-year-old South African carded five-under 67 to finish on 14-under, beating his nearest challenger and Mena regular Matias Calderon by a stroke for his third win on the Sunshine Tour.
The South African duo of Danie Van Niekerk and Combrinck Smit shared third on 11 under as the Czech Republic’s Cyril Suk, two behind at the start, returned a 71 to settle for tied for seventh on nine-under. Suk finished two clear of England’s Scott Campbell, who matched the day’s lowest score of 66 after dropping a bogey on the first to finish in a tie for 14th along with fellow Englishman Jordan Garnish.
“I played really solidly,” said Hammond, who rattled up five birdies and an eagle against two bogeys. “It’s been a while, I have won twice before on the Big Easy Tour and to win this is a biggest thing of my career so far since I turned pro, so I’m really chuffed with that. Hopefully, I can build on this and take it to the main tour and show what I can do.”
Chile’s Calderon, who closed with a 67, had a shaky start that saw the young prodigy drop a shot on the first hole, but he swiftly recovered and made three birdies on the front nine. The homeward stretch was similar to the front for Calderon as he dropped another shot on 12 before three more birdies made their way into his scorecard.
Karabo Mokoena completed a grand double for South Africa, winning the amateur division on four-under after carding a final round 71, one ahead of Dylan Kok. India’s Dubai-based Arkesh Bhatia had put himself in contention after opening with a 70, but followed it with a 75, missing the cut by one shot. The Mena Tour will resume after a summer break in September.
