Bourdy races to PGA victory
20 February 2006
The man they call Mr. 66, Frenchman Gregory Bourdy closed with a 69 to claim a wire-to-wire victory in the Telkom PGA Championship at Country Club Johannesburg on Sunday to win South Africa's second oldest professional tournament by six strokes.
In doing so, Bourdy became the first Frenchman to win the tournament as well as score a win on the entire Sunshine Tour. At 21-under-par 267, he also came within a stroke of tying David Frost's record seven-stroke victory in 1994 at the Wanderers Golf Club.
"Wow, I didn't know all of that," Bourdy said. "I would love to go on and have the same career as some of those who have won this tournament before."
Order of Merit
More importantly, the victory, worth R317 000, has launched the Frenchman to the top of the Sunshine Tour's Order of Merit with total earnings of R925 594. The dethroned Charl Schwartzel, now in second, is only approximately R35 000 behind, while
Louis Oosthuizen dropped to third on R801 891.
Battle lines are firmly drawn in the struggle for top honours on the money list with the season finale Vodacom Tour Championship scheduled to tee off at Pretoria Country Club on Thursday, and yet another R317 000 on offer to the winner.
With three 66s in previous rounds, Bourdy tackled Sunday's final round with a comfortable six-stroke cushion over Thomas Aiken and never relinquished his lead, despite a slight stumble at the second, which he quickly rectified with a bounce-back birdie.
Maintained the advantage
He maintained the advantage through the first seven holes and, at one stage, moved as much as 10 strokes clear of the field on the back nine, but back-to-back bogeys on holes 15 and 16, and a late flurry of birdies Thomas Aiken, cost him a shot at Frost's record.
Less than two months ago, Bourdy was devastated at losing his player’s privileges on the European Tour and at
failing to secure his card at Tour School. His win represents a major turnaround for the Frenchman, whose biggest concern was to let his parents know about his victory between the television appearances, prize giving and press interviews.
He had come to South Africa to try his luck on the Sunshine Tour and had a solid start with a third place finish in the South African Airways Open in December.
'Very special'
"Golf can be like that. It's sometimes up and down. The last two months have been very special for me after what was probably the worst experience of my life when I missed my European Tour card."
The battle for second rode an up-and-down curve with Aiken finally securing the runner-up spot with back-to-back birdies at the final two holes for a 69 to end on 15-under-par.
One of the uplifting stories of the event was that of 23-year old James Kamte, who birdied the last hole to claim third place on his own at 13-under-par, with
a round of 68.
Success story
Kamte, one of the success stories from the Sunshine Tour's Vusi Ngubeni Development Stropkeplay, earned the biggest cheque of his career - R138 200 - and catapulted to 32nd on the money list, securing his exemption for 2006-2007.
"My aim was to at least finish in the top five. I didn't play well in the dunhill championship or the South African Open in December, so I spent all my off time practicing for the Telkom PGA Championship. I'm so relieved to have done so well," he said.
Source: Sunshine Tour
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