18th May 2017 | Big Easy Tour
Amateur Steyn takes Modderfontein title
It took six play-off holes, but eventually amateur Marco Steyn took the Big Easy Tour event at Modderfontein Golf Club with a birdie on the 10th.
He edged out Etienne Bond, who had bogeyed 17 in regulation play to open the door for Modderfontein local Steyn. The pair had finished on seven-under-par 137 before they headed down 18 twice, then up 10, onto 17 and then 18 a third time, before Steyn took advantage of a wayward approach by Bond on 10 to make birdie and win.
“I was tense during regulation when I saw I was only one back with three to play,†said Steyn. “Obviously nerves kicked in a bit but that’s why we play – to be in contention and to deal with the nerves.
“I finished quite nicely and luckily for me, Etienne dropped on 17 and I got into the play-off. After a very long six holes, I’m so glad to get the job done.
“In a play-off, you simply have to try and win each hole. You’ve got to be aggressive – to a point – without getting yourself into trouble. So I just stuck to my normal game plan, and I know this course very well. I know where to hit it and where not to hit it. There are a few tricky putts out here and just keeping the ball in the easier areas helped a lot.â€
It wasn’t an easy putt that eventually assured him of the title, however. He hit the ball 15 feet past the flag just off the green on the par-five 10th, leaving himself a downhill push towards the hole that eventually settled just a foot away.
With Bind in trouble to the left of the green with his approach, and his third ending up in a greenside bunker, even a delicate sand shot to a offt was only going to be enough for par, giving Steyn the victory.
It was Steyn’s second attempt at a Big Easy Tour tournament. He finished in a share of 23rd two years ago at Glendower Golf Club, so the win was a sign of serious progress for him. “It feels great to win against pros,†he said. “I know I’m not the first amateur to win a Big Easy tournament, and it’s great to follow in the footsteps of a few of my friends, and I hope I can keep on doing that later on in my career.â€
In third place, two strokes behind Steyn and Bond, was Bennie van der Merwe, with Bryce McCabe, Bryandrew Roelofsz and Antonio Rosado sharing fourth another shot back on four-under for the tournament.