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Starting six shots behind the head of the leaderboard at the start of the last round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, the South African Shaun Norris, author of a solid 67 (-5) despite a double bogey conceded on the par 3 of the 7, takes the contenders for victory to the wire at -13 (275). His compatriot Ryan Van Velzen, the Swede Marcus Kinhult, the big loser of the day, and the Englishman John Parry finished a length behind. A moment in the fight for victory, Martin Couvra has to settle for 7th place at -10 (278). This is his best performance on the DP World Tour!
L.V.
This was clearly worth a rating! Beyond the top 10 after 54 holes, six shots behind the leader at the start of this last round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, namely the Swede Marcus Kinhult, Shaun Norris nevertheless managed to win thanks to a card of 67 (-5), beating all the contenders for victory this Sunday on the legendary route of the Leopard Creek Country Club.
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And yet, we believed that the South African's double bogey conceded on the formidable par 3 of the 7 after a big error in chipping (ball in the water after having crossed right through the green) had definitively taken him out of the game, despite an eagle slammed on hole no. 2 followed by a birdie on 6. But in Golf, it is well known, as long as the card is not signed, anything can happen. The proof.
For a long, long time in this 4th round, we thought that the victory was going to be fought between the same Marcus Kinhult, the two young guns Angel Ayora et Ryan Van Velzenrespectively 20 and 23 years old, or the English veteran John Parry38 years old, unleashed putter in hands. The Scandinavian even allowed himself to be up to four shots ahead of his main competitors after the par 5 of the 2nd. But barely two holes later, three men were in the lead at -13: Van Velzen, Kinhult ( bogey at 3 and 4) and Ayora.
The young Spanish golfer, four birdies in six holes, even found himself alone leader at -14 (above). And then, under the wind, more and more present, and under the sun, always as aggressive (34 degrees at the start of the afternoon), his game gradually seized up, leaving the opportunity to his more close pursuers to return to his level. At the start of the 9th, he shared the lead with Van Velzen and Parry at -13… while Marcus Kinhult had exploded in full flight on this terrible par 3 of the 7th with a double bogey (below).
It was finally by making his 5th birdie of the day at hole no. 15 that Shaun Norris came out of the hat, joining the three leading men at the same mark of -13. He was no longer going to leave the top of the leaderboard, seeing from a distance his opponents make mistakes one after the other. Bogey from Van Velzen at 13. Bogey from Kinhult at the same place to move back to -11. Bogey from Parry at 16… By hitting the fairway at 18, Norris then finds himself alone in the lead at -13 before signing a card of 67 (-5). The long wait then begins for the South African, recent winner on the… Japan Golf Tour last December 1st.
Author of a very nice birdie at 14, Ryan Van Velzen joins Norris in the lead and the opportunities to overtake him still remain numerous but the triple winner on the Sunshine Tourrookie this season on the DP World Tour 2024-25, ultimately did not succeed. Worse, for his attack on the 18th green on his 2nd shot, he saw his ball fly over the green and end up in the water. Like a few minutes earlier for Angel Ayora, who was also able to join Norris and who came out with a crippling bogey.
The hope for Van Velzen then came down to placing his ball (for his 4th shot from the dropping zone) as close as possible to the flag to take his compatriot into the play-off. But his putt of more than 4 meters went left, offering a second success on the European Tour to Shaun Norris, after the Steyn City Championshipalready in South Africa, on March 20, 2022.
« There are no words to describe what just happenedwhispers the quadra at the microphone of the DP World Tour, with tears in his eyes. This last year has been very difficult. There were ups and downs. But thanks to God, to my family, to my wife. We held on. Winning two weeks ago in Japan and winning this week, what a blessing! »
Respectively 4th and 9th when starting this last lap, Romain Langasque et Martin Couvrera were also at one point in the mix to win. Author of a sublime eagle at 6, the first found himself one shot from the lead at -12. Before cracking at 7 with a double bogey. On arrival, his final 74 (+2) (with two bogeys on the return) forced him to fall to 15th place at -8 (280).
As for the second, promoted this season on the European Tour via the Challenge Touralso one shot from the lead at the exit of the par 5 of the 13th, his chances of victory were, unfortunately, gone on this double bogey of the 15th with this terrible four putts (above). His 71 (-1) of the day, however, gives him 7th place in the final, his best performance, already, at the highest level. Only his 4th start. This promises!
Best French of the day, Julien Guerrierowner of a superb 66 (-6) without bogey, holds on to 19th place at -7 (281), just behind Ugo Coussaudalso 15th at -8 with his 68 (-4).
Four Tricolores in the top 20. The season promises to be just as brilliant as the previous one for the France club!
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