GOLF NEWS - He finished the week with a trout and a trophy, and Doug McGuigan looked capable of catching both throughout as he won the 54-hole R750 000 Vodacom Origins of Golf event at Highland Gate Golf and Trout Estate.

He carded a final-round two-under-par 70 to move to 10-under for the tournament, and that gave him a two-stroke edge over the charging Brandon Stone, as the 2016 South African Open champion made five birdies in his last eight holes to finish one off the pace.

McGuigan was strolling to victory at 12-under through the 11th hole, and a stumble in the form of a triple-bogey seven at the 12th saw his chances of a first Sunshine Tour victory in five years suddenly fade. His last win came in 2012 at the ISPS Handa Match Play Championship.

“The 12th hole got me a little alert about things,” he said. “I was cruising along nicely, playing brilliantly and I hit a weak shot. The course can penalise you quickly and I made triple.”

Stone’s charge for victory started poorly, and a double-bogey six on the second hole had him starting on the back foot. He turned in one-over 37, which was three poorer than McGuigan, and that left him with a lot of ground to make up.

McGuigan followed a birdie on two with a bogey on three, but it was all pretty good for him after that. Successive birdies on seven and eight, and another on 11 saw him pull clear. And then came the 12th. But he rallied with birdies on 14 and 16 and he was able to get home safely.

“To recover like I did, I’m pleased about that,” he said. “It shows me what I can do if I need to.

“I didn’t even have a word with myself on 13 tee. I was very surprised. I was calm, but there was obviously a bit of adrenaline going during the last few holes, but my attitude was great. I’d like to keep this for a while.

“That’s why we do this. We want to see how we do under the pressure. Nobody love the pressure, but it’s good when it’s finished and when you win.”

Stone finished the second round birdie-birdie-eagle, and he went birdie-par-birdie in the final round. He did have an eagle putt that just missed on the right, but that would only have taken him to 10-under.

Read more on SuperSport