Gerhard Trytsman found his putter working as he scored five-under-par 67 in the final round to win the Sunshine Tour Qualifying School Final Stage at Gardener Ross Golf & Country Estate in Pretoria on Friday.

The Gauteng pro started with a two-shot lead over Louis de Jager (71) and kept himself calm, all the while knowing that Ryan Thompson (64) was hot on his heels. He ended on a remarkable 64. That was eight-under and included nine birdies and an unfortunate bogey on the ninth.

Trytsman carded six birdies to extend an overall lead of two shots after a single bogey on the sixth.

“The feeling has still not sunk in, and after wondering so many times how the first victory will feel, I can now eventually experience it,” said Trytsman.

“The sixth was a nervous hole and after trying to hit rescue, I snapped it and put it in the water and then recovered to make five knowing that if I made a mistake, I had to accept the medicine.”

Thompson regarded this tournament as one of his best after starting his final round five shots off the pace.

“I was five shots behind the leader and I told myself that I had to do something special today, and things just got better and better as the round went on,” said a proud Thompson.

“I feel great and things just happened for me out there after poor putting through the first three rounds and today I found my putter was warm.”

Darryn Lloyd (66) also found late form with an exceptional round of six-under which included an eagle on the generous eighth hole which produced a total of 18 eagles and 161 birdies over the four rounds.

Andre Ferreira (68) and Jacques Blaauw (69) ended tied fourth with five-under 283. Ferreira also eagled the eighth in addition to four birdies whilst Blaauw birdied five holes.

De Jager shot a one-under and lost his way after two bogeys and a double-bogey on the 13th, But five birdies brough respectability to his scorecard.

Morne Buys shot a four-under-par 68 to tie with Chris Moss (69) and Johar Raveloarison (72).

Buys was on fire, turning on 32, but changed his tactics with a conservative approach on the home stretch which saw nine pars, whilst Englishman Moss had a better back nine, scoring three of his five birdies.

Raveloarison was only three-shots off the pace of the overnight leader, but finished level par which kept the Madagascan in the top 10 on the scoreboard.

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