Veteran Tipping wins second Blue Label title

Veteran professional Ryan Tipping claimed his second Blue Label Development Tour title following his one-stroke win over Gerard Pepler at Benoni Country Club on Monday.

Tipping, 42, carded a 66 to win the very first tournament of this Sunshine Tour’s development tour at Waterkloof Golf Club last month. He graced the winner’s circle for the second time this season, thanks to his five-under 67 in Benoni. His triumph in Benoni catapulted him to the summit of the Blue Label Development Tour’s order of merit, a position which has earned him an invite to the Blue Label Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club in October.

“Today was a big day,” said Tipping after his round, “there is a big prize on the line and I knew I had to go low. I started off great and made five birdies on the front nine and basically just held on on the back nine. I believed, coming in today, that I had to shoot a low one because the guy who leads the Order of Merit is playing well.

“So, I knew that I had to win to give myself a chance. The only way was to make as many birdies as I could and then I saw the leaderboard and I kind of slowed a bit.”

Tipping birdied the par-five 10^th which was his first hole of the day. After he’d made pars on 11 and 12, the Randpark Golf Club player made a brace of birdies on 13 and on 14. Pars in the next two holes preceded two more birdies as he turned in 31 and bogey-free. Another birdie followed a par after the turn as Tipping went about his business.

His progress was brought to a halt as he dropped on the third, his 12^th, but the seasoned campaigner held things tight from there on; making six straight pars to consolidate and ultimately walked home victorious. This is Tipping’s second win in this 10-tournament series.

“What Blue Label and the Sunshine Tour have done by bringing us this series is absolutely amazing,” Tipping added, “and for the winner of the order of merit to gain entry into the Blue Label Challenge is special because it’s a limited field event and there’s good money to play for. It really is special because if guys play well in these one-day events, then they can make an impact on the Sunshine Tour events as well.

“I am delighted to have won again and I am looking forward to Sun City.”

Pepler’s runners-up placing elevated him to second on the order of merit while Dainfern Golf Club’s Ricky Hendler is third on that list.

There are 10 tournaments in the series and all are being played in Gauteng. There are no entry fees required from the participating players, ensuring more playing opportunities. The Blue Label Development Tour events carry a R50 000 purse for each of the 10 one-day tournaments while expanding playing opportunities for players to sharpen their skills further.