They didn’t even wait until three in the afternoon, Spanish peninsular time, to make the announcement. It’s over. There’s no way to complete the four rounds in the South African Open of the DP World Tour. The tournament has been reduced to 54 holes, and the standings remain as they were at the end of the third round. Only the champion was left to be decided.
South African Dylan Naidoo and Laurie Canter went out to play a playoff hole, and the victory went to the local golfer. He made a birdie on the 18th and claimed a life-changing victory. Not only does he forever write his name in the impressive roll of honour of his national open, alongside Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Bobby Locke, and company, but he also secures the DP World Tour card for the next two years and qualifies for the Open Championship. The week of his life, the day of his life, the hole of his life. He won with his short game. He executed a great approach from the edge of the green on this short par 4 and sank a one-and-a-half-metre putt to win.
Naidoo thus achieves his second professional victory. He made his debut on the Sunshine Tour in 2022. It’s a surprise, but it can’t be said that he didn’t give notice. Already at the Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open at the end of last year, he came close to a victory that John Parry claimed. A second place and a victory he accumulates. Not bad to start the year. He has just turned 27. He is the seventh consecutive South African to win his national open.
Both players drive it just short of the green on the first playoff hole 🚀#InvestecSAOpen pic.twitter.com/70kzvKAwgZ
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 2, 2025
Listen to those roars! 🔊
The moment Dylan Naidoo won his national open 🙌#InvestecSAOpen pic.twitter.com/mEbi6eWsZx
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 2, 2025
The rain that fell on the Durban Country Club and the limited drainage capacity of the South African course have flooded the field and made its recovery impossible. Not even working all afternoon and night could save the 16th hole, which had turned into a real lake. Since some players had already passed through there, it was also impossible to determine its conversion to par or alter the course. In short, impossible.
Thus, beyond Naidoo’s victory, it is confirmed that the champion, Marco Penge and Darren Fichardt qualify for the Open Championship and that Canter, despite losing in the playoff, qualifies to play in the THE PLAYERS, as he needed to finish in the top four to break into the world’s top 50 this Monday, the deadline for this qualification criterion.
Suspendido el juego en Sudáfrica: incertidumbre y caos en Durban
Obviously, everything that was played this Sunday has been cancelled. Thus, the best-ranked Spaniards in this South African Open are Iván Cantero and Alejandro del Rey, who finish in 25th place. They didn’t even go out to play today. Meanwhile, Jorge Campillo and Manu Elvira finish in 46th place and Rafa Cabrera Bello in 54th.
The South African Open continues to mistreat Spanish golf or vice versa… Next stop: Joburg Open.
