Naicker began the final round of the Race to Q-School #7 three off the pace from 36-hole leader Coert Groenewald and one shot behind Sunshine Tour campaigner CJ du Plessis.
The 27-year-old Modderfontein golfer took the outright lead at 10 under with successive birdies at 14 and 15, but spoiled his flawless run with a bogey at the penultimate hole.
Unable to take advantage of the par five 18th, Naicker closed with a three-under-par 69 and set the clubhouse target at nine under 207. When Du Plessis signed for a 70, the GFG Academy duo headed back to the 18th for a sudden-death play-off.
When Du Plessis pushed his tee shot right, Naicker realised that two good shots could seal the victory for him.
“CJ couldn’t go for the green from the position where he landed and I knew if I could reach the green in two, I would have a chance,” Naicker stated.
“I hit a magnificent drive straight down the middle and my seven-iron approach from 174 metres found the target. I had a 12 foot putt left, so I just lagged it close and tapped in for a birdie and the win.
“I was relieved to get it done. I was really unhappy with my game last week and I withdrew from this week, but my coach (Graeme Francis) convinced me to play. I came into this week with a B-game and no expectations, so it’s comforting to know that I can win with a B-game.
“I really had to scramble at times this week, but the final round was much better. I kept a bogey-free card almost all the way until the 17th. I hit a seven-iron, but I caught a flier. I finished in a bad lie in the rough, but got the ball on the green and then the par putt just hung on the lip. I thought I had thrown it away, but at least I was able to make amends in the play-off.”
The victory moved the Race to Q-School Order of Merit leader almost 13,000 points clear of second-placed Dean O’Riley, but Naicker said he is not hung up on the statistics.
“Yes, it’s nice to be leading the Order of Merit,” he said. “If I can maintain a top five ranking until the end of the Race series, I’ll be straight through to the final stage of the Sunshine Tour’s Q-School.
“But for me, the goals in the Race to Q-School series has been exactly the same as it was since the start of the season. I’m trying to put myself in contention every week and I’m trying to get a top 10 finish every week. You need to shoot sub-par rounds consistently; that’s the only kind of form that will get you through Q-School and through the first season on tour.”
Final Result
All competitors RSA unless otherwise specified and amateurs are indicated as AMA:
207 - Damian Naicker 66 72 69 (1st play-off hole)
207 - CJ du Plessis 68 69 70
208 - Matthew Spacey 70 69 69, Terence Boardman 69 68 71
209 - Jaco Prinsloo 72 69 68, Stuart Smith (BOT) 70 68 71
210 - JC Ritchie 71 71 68, Ruan Potgieter AMA 71 69 70
211 - Russel Franz 69 68 74, Coert Groenewald 66 69 76
212 - Jeff Hopkins (IRE) 66 76 70
213 - Ockert Strydom 70 74 69, Gregg Blainey (ENG) 72 71 70, Maritz Wessels 66 75 72, Paul de Beer 71 70 72, Estiaan Conradie AMA 68 72 73
215 - Paul Boshoff AMA 72 71 72, Carrie Park 71 71 73, Ruan Conradie AMA 71 71 73, Ruan Korb AMA 73 69 73
216 - Nobuhle Dlamini (SWA) 73 69 74, Duane Keun 70 71 75, Derek Scullard AMA 69 72 75
217 - Alex van Heerden AMA 72 72 73, Stefan Labuschagne AMA 72 73 72, Hendrikus Stoop AMA 74 68 75
218 - Michael Kok AMA 69 74 75, Clinton Grobler 70 73 75, Jandre Fullard 71 75 72, DK Kim (KOR) 71 77 70
219 - Jonathan Waschefort 73 72 74, Bryce McCabe 68 75 76, Leon Visser AMA 74 73 72
220 - Stephan Erasmus AMA 71 73 76, Leon Vorster AMA 73 73 74
221 - Pieter Cooper AMA 74 69 78, Fanie Wolmarans AMA 73 74 74, Johan van der Wath 72 76 73, Bonita Bredenhann (NAM) 74 76 71
222 - David Ashley (ENG) 73 73 76, Brett Liddle 71 76 75, Conway Kunneke 70 71 81
223 - Quintin Crause 70 75 78, Wayne Stroebel 72 77 74, Johary Raveloarison (MDG) 73 78 72
224 - Driekus Gous AMA 77 75 72
225 - Wesley Baptiste AMA 72 74 79, Bryce Myburgh 72 79 74
226 - Garth Wolter 73 74 79, Arno Pretorius AMA 74 77 75
227 - Stephan de Beer 74 74 79, Matt Wollmann (ZIM) 69 82 76, Tristan Nel AMA 75 77 75
228 - Albert Visser AMA 73 75 80, Philip Geerts AMA (ITA) 72 79 77, Richard Tsai AMA 71 80 77
229 - Stefan Engell Andersen (KEN) 74 76 79
231 - LJ Lowies AMA 74 75 82
232 - Werner van Wyk 75 75 82
236 - Wayne du Toit 73 79 84
ARTICLE: LALI STANDER
