– Jayden Schaper (-16) has won this Alfred Dunhill Championship reduced to 54 holes after beating Shaun Norris (-16) with an eagle, no less, on the first hole of a playoff in which Eugenio Chacarra (-15) couldn’t get involved, missing out by just one stroke to at least have that chance. We will now go with the analysis of the Spaniard’s round, but first, it is worth noting that this is Schaper’s first professional victory, the young South African (24 years old) whose class and potential as a great player were undeniable (or rather: almost everyone took it for granted), but who was struggling to make that first big statement, to secure that first win.
– Norris was close to replicating and even improving the same feat from a year ago in this very tournament, where he was defending his title this week. Twelve months ago, although it was at a different venue, Leopard Creek, Norris started six shots behind the leader in the final round and ended up winning; today he started seven shots back and was close to repeating after delivering a 62 (on a par 70, after the 6th hole, a par 5, was transformed into a par 3 due to heavy rain), eight under for the day. But his young compatriot shattered the fairytale ending of Shaun’s epic charge after hitting a superb hybrid from the sand in the playoff hole and then holing a putt from the fringe, about four metres from the cup. Lethal. Norris also had an eagle putt, but the birdie, given, was not enough.
– Chacarra also had an eagle putt from about ten metres on the 72nd hole of the tournament to get into the playoff, and although he hit it very well, it didn’t drop. In any case, the reason he couldn’t secure his second victory on the DP World Tour has little or nothing to do with that final outcome of his round. In hindsight, the analysis is very simple: after a good start, the Madrid native paid a heavy price at the worst moment of his round (double bogey on the 5th hole, a par 3); and when his game regained a more stable level, even brilliant at times, the same putter that had carried him in the second round was not efficient this time. There was no way: not even the best-struck putts (and there were quite a few) would drop.
– When it comes to a bit of sports literature, you can either embellish it or simply focus on those specific, concrete moments that turn the tide and point to the chosen one: on the 12th hole, Eugenio executed a very fine bunker shot, and his ball, moving gently and directly towards the hole for birdie, finally touched the edge; then, on the 16th hole, Schaper, the winner, made a very good chip, and the ball ended up in the hole… As mentioned: it’s those pesky details (depending on who you ask, of course) that also decide the champion’s name.
– In any case, a final round of PAR, which is the score Chacarra submitted this Sunday, usually doesn’t yield victorious returns. Normally, the winner must be able to sink some mid-range putts to break the tie, and Chacarra not only didn’t hole any in the long final stretch, but he also missed a rather short one to save par on the 11th hole.
There is undoubtedly another resource, somewhat more complex: if you don’t hole anything, you’ll have to find a way to leave the ball very close to the hole… And that’s exactly what Schaper managed to do in the final stretch, with excellent second shots on the 14th and 17th holes (neither of the putts exceeded a metre in distance).
– To conclude, the Spanish player left us another gem on the last hole, hitting once again this week from out of position on a par 5 and being able to get the ball to the green with a delightful low, running shot, leaving himself that final eagle chance to enter the playoff. Certainly, we didn’t see a player who was overwhelmed by the situation, but rather the opposite. We will see him up there again, without a doubt.
– We must highlight the final round of Jorge Campillo (-9), 65 strokes, five under for the day, with two eagles on his second nine holes (he started playing from the 10th) and extraordinary tee-to-green play at times, leaving many opportunities along the way. And also that of Alejandro del Rey (-7), with seven birdies and three bogeys on the card.
– In short, we now have no choice but to keep a close eye on Schaper’s trajectory, a guy who won a lot as an amateur, turned professional at just 18, and reached number 19 in the world amateur rankings at that age. That marvellous hybrid from the sand on the second shot in the playoff hole, applauded gallantly by Norris, is more than just a nice calling card and gives us a precise idea of his capabilities. He’s only 24 years old but has just started his fourth season on the European circuit, and so far, his upward progression has been constant: he was 104th in the Race to Dubai in his first season; 65th in the second; 26th in the third… We’ll see how and where this newly started fourth season ends, but it feels like, at the very least, we should count on him to secure a PGA Tour card. That, at the very least…
