Hennie

Du Plessis

The 25-year-old du Plessis was aiming for a wire-to-wire win at Pecanwood G&CC in Hartbeespoort, South Africa, where he held a two-stroke lead over countryman Richard Sterne and Spaniards Adri Arnaus, Nacho Elvira and Pablo Larrazábal heading into the final round. Larrazábal triumphed in a playoff after tying with Arnaus and Englishman Jordan Smith at 22-under 266. Du Plessis was part of a four-way tie after the first round thanks to a bogey-free, 10-under 62 and followed up with a 65 to take a one-shot lead into the weekend. He carded a 2-under 70 on Saturday and told media after: “It was awesome, I haven’t played in front of a nice home crowd before, so I really enjoyed every minute of it,” he said. “You have to take it as it comes, just stick to your process, trust your targets, trust your lines, hope for the best and enjoy it.” His even-par 72 on Sunday featured two bogeys and two birdies, leaving him at 19 under for his second top 10 in three DPWT starts this season. He also finished solo seventh at the Joburg Open in November. Du Plessis is in the field for this week’s Steyn City Championship at The Club at Steyn City in Johannesburg.

The 23-year-old thrashed the front nine, at one point ticking five birdies in a row at the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh before he rounded off the journey to the turn with another red number at the ninth. Unfortunately, with a lead in his sights, he somewhat stumbled on the back nine. He made bogeys at the 11th, 13th and 17th, with a birdie at the 15th the only recompense. This is Du Plessis’ 16th start in co-sanctioned European Tour event and he has struggled to impose himself. Only at the 2017 Joburg Open he he was T13, but that is his only top 60 during that run.