GOLF NEWS - Fredrik From powered to a maiden IGT Challenge Tour victory in the season-finale of the Race to Q-School Series at Randpark Golf Club on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old Swede stretched a two shot overnight lead to a three stroke victory on 15-under 201 when he closed with a three-under-par 69 at the Firethorn Course.
Duane Keun posted 68 to finish in sole second, while England’s Mark James finished a further stroke back after signing off with a 71.
Central Gauteng amateur pair Jason Rossiter and David McIntyre registered rounds of 69 to tie for fourth on nine under, one shot clear of Anton Haig and Albert Venter.
From is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having won four times in the past two years. He arrived in South Africa just a little over a fortnight ago and was extremely pleased to lift another trophy in just his second start on the country’s premier golf development circuit.
“I’m really happy with my performance this week and it means a lot to me to lift the trophy,” he said.
“I took a 10 year break from golf and only started playing again two years ago. I won tournaments in Spain, Thailand and the Pattana Golf Championship on the Mena Tour, but the last win was over seven months ago. To win this early in the season is brilliant. It gives me a lot of confidence.”
From secured a card for the Sunshine Tour via a fifth place finish on the final Order of Merit of the Mena Tour. He planned to compete in Asia until the start of the 2018/2019 season, but decided to come out to South Africa instead on his doctor’s recommendation.
“Somewhere along the line I contracted a parasite in Asia and my doctor cautioned me to steer clear of Asia for a while,” he said. “So I cancelled all my bookings and came to South Africa. I really wanted to stay competitive so I could be ready for the start of the season, and the IGT Challenge Tour is the perfect place to do that.”
From fired successive rounds of 66 to shoot to the top and his lead was never threatened during the final round.
He cruised through the front nine with eight pars and a birdie at the par five fourth and consolidated his lead with further gains at 10, 12 ad 14. “I hit it close at 10 and boxed the birdie putt, and that gave me some nice momentum starting the back nine,” he said.
“I drove it really well all week and I was never in any trouble. That was definitely key to the win. I also putted very well and didn’t give many shots away. I had a soft bogey at 17 after I hit the birdie putt seven feet past the hole and missed the return, but I was never under any real pressure. It was nice to play stress-free golf and to finish a good scoring week with a trophy.”
The final event concluded the 18-event Race to Q-School Series.
The top 10 players who earned exemption into the Final Stage of the Sunshine Tour Qualifying School via the final Order of Merit include money leader Estiaan Conradie and his brother Ruan, who finished in second place. Philip Geerts fired the low round of the day – a 65 – to tie for 15th and punched his ticket to Final Stage with a third place finish in the final standings.
The remaining seven players are Pieter Moolman (4), Tokkie van den Berg (5), Roberto Lupini (6), Ruan Korb (7), Luke Brown (8), Matt Bright (9) and Tristen Strydom (10).
Final Result
All competitors RSA unless otherwise specified and amateurs are indicated as AMA:
201 - Fredrik From (SWE) 66 66 69
204 - Duane Keun 68 68 68
205 - Mark James (ENG) 68 66 71
207 - Jason Rossiter AMA 70 68 69, David McIntyre AMA 67 71 69
208 - Anton Haig 73 68 67, Albert Venter 69 69 70
209 - Matt Bright 65 72 72
210 - Dylan Mostert AMA 73 68 69, Tristen Strydom 65 73 72
211 - Marco de Beer 72 70 69, Estiaan Conradie 70 70 71, Jacques de Villiers 68 71 72, Juan Langeveld 69 69 73
212 - Armand van Dyk AMA 74 69 69, Kyle Barker 70 72 70, Pieter Moolman 68 74 70, Phillip Kruse AMA 69 72 71, Philip Geerts (ITA) 76 71 65, Philip Eriksson (SWE) 71 67 74
213 - Tokkie van den Berg 71 72 70, Michael Pfeifer AMA 70 71 72, Roberto Lupini 73 68 72, Ruan Korb 70 70 73
214 - Ruan Conradie 72 69 73
215 - Louis Albertse AMA 74 67 74, Jack Duthie 75 74 66
216 - Steven Lecuyer (CAN) 71 72 73, Luke Brown AMA 72 69 75, Andrew Carlsson AMA 67 71 78
217 - Andrew Burmester 74 70 73, Yubin Jung 71 71 75, Basil Wright 74 72 71, Michael Schutz 72 75 70, Arno Pretorius AMA 76 71 70, Christian Larsson (SWE) 76 73 68
218 - Conway Kunneke 73 73 72, Tiaan Diederiks 74 72 72, Werner van Wyk 74 75 69
219 - Maritz Wessels 73 72 74, Clinton Grobler 74 72 73, Jimmy Mullen (ENG) 75 71 73, CJ Levey 75 72 72, Ruhan van Dijk AMA 71 66 82, Juran Dreyer AMA 77 72 70
220 - Paul Colditz 74 71 75, David Rebelo AMA 76 70 74
221 - Jason Roets 75 71 75, Zander Gous AMA 75 72 74, NJ van der Walt AMA 77 70 74, Eric Nel 73 75 73
222 - Peetie van der Merwe 74 72 76, Andi Dill 72 76 74, Rafael Parra (VEN) 72 77 73, Bryce Myburgh 75 74 73
223 - Teboho Sefatsa 76 69 78, Paul Boshoff 78 71 74
224 - Jonathan Waschefort 74 73 77
225 - Harry Konig (ENG) 71 78 76
226 - Zabastian de Jager 74 72 80, Jens Hillerman AMA 74 73 79
227 - Axel Arinbjarnarson (SWE) 72 74 81, Mpho Mafishe 79 67 81, Albert Visser 75 71 81, Gilson Filho (BRA) 76 73 78
228 - Leon Vorster AMA 76 72 80
229 - Stephan De Beer 75 74 80
N/R - Leon Visser 73 74 N/R
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the IGT Challenge Tour.
