Ken Borland

GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – Daniel Greene had a feeling that his 12-year wait for a first win on the Sunshine Tour might come to an end this week at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series Humewood event and the 36-year-old never stopped believing, and his composure and skill was enough to take him to victory on the first hole of a playoff with Tristen Strydom.

Greene and Strydom both shot two-under-par 70s on Saturday to finish on five-under-par overall, and Greene parred the first playoff hole to take the honours when his younger rival, also looking for his first win, made bogey.

“You don’t really think after so long on tour without a win that it can happen, but it being windy here for the last week, I had a feeling from Tuesday that I could win and I just kept believing in myself. Even today on the 17^th hole, when I was one behind, I still had that belief. My golf has improved inland but I’m still a lot more comfortable on the coast.

“For it to happen at Humewood, where I should have won in 2010, it’s surreal. Maybe I should believe in myself more often because it shows that nothing is out of reach, even 11 years later, if you never stop believing,” Greene said after his maiden title.

Back in 2010, in the Vodacom Business tournament at Humewood Golf Club, Greene finished second as he double-bogeyed both the 17^th and 18^th holes on the last day, allowing Ulrich van den Berg to snatch the win.

This time Greene was the beneficiary of an opponent letting it slip as Strydom bogeyed the 17^th and after their respective bogeys on the last hole, the KwaZulu-Natalian had nothing but sympathy for the 24-year-old.

Strydom was ideally placed after his second shot was on the fringe of the green, but he decided to chip instead of putt and then missed a makeable par putt.

“It was unfortunate for Tristen and I know exactly what he feels like after it happened to me in 2010. He played very well and hit the ball really nicely, but all I was doing was concentrating on my score and taking it shot-by-shot. I didn’t know the score and when we both made bogey on the 18^th, I asked him if he had won because people were clapping like he had,” Greene revealed.

It turned out their final scores were the same – five-under-par 211 – and Greene still had one more hole to play to exorcise his Humewood demons.

Given that half-a-dozen of Greene’s best performances have been on the coast, it was perhaps not that surprising that his perseverance was finally rewarded at Humewood’s famous links on an awfully windy day.

GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – Daniel Greene secured his first Sunshine Tour title in his 12^th season on tour at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series Humewood event on Saturday and it took all of his composure and skill to secure the playoff win over Tristen Strydom as it was blowing a gale on the links course.

Greene completed a solid par on the first playoff hole, on the par-four 18^th, while Strydom could only get a bogey after he hit his second shot well right of the green. It was a bitter blow for the 24-year-old who was also chasing his first victory on tour, Strydom missing a shortish putt for par on the last hole of regulation play.

Making the turn on two-under for his round, Greene then did exceptionally well to come home in level-par as the players faced the worst of the wind. The 36-year-old was helped by a crucial eagle on the par-five 11^th.

When Strydom bogeyed the 17^th it meant they were all-square going up the last and Strydom wasted a golden opportunity to win as he was lying just off the green and decided to chip his third instead of putting.

Steve Surry, Christiaan Basson and Malcolm Mitchell, who blazed through the last nine holes in four-under-par to finish with a level-par 72, all finished just one stroke off the lead on four-under-par, proving that the leaders cannot take anything for granted when conditions were as tough as they were at Humewood on Saturday.

But Greene, who has a strong record in Vodacom events on the coast, showed he could adapt and remain unflustered despite how testing the situation was.

Temba Bavuma may have struck just the lone four, but he added two sweetly-struck sixes as he steered the Imperial Lions to a tricky target of 142 and a place in the T20 Challenge final as they beat the Warriors by seven wickets in the playoff at Kingsmead on Saturday.

Bavuma’s beautifully-judged innings of 48 not out off 37 balls saw the Lions cruise to victory with five balls to spare, even though they were forced to bat second on a pitch that was getting lower and slower.

He received important help from opener Reeza Hendricks, who gave the Lions a superb start of 45 without loss in the powerplay with his 32 off just 19 deliveries, and Rassie van der Dussen, who scored 17 in a third-wicket stand of 61 off 51 balls.

Left-arm spinners Jon-Jon Smuts (4-0-18-1) and Jade de Klerk (3-0-23-0) were the Warriors’ most effective bowlers, but they inexplicably failed to use impressive left-arm wrist-spinner Lizo Makhosi in conditions that would have suited him, even when they were desperate to buy a wicket when Bavuma was in complete control.

The Warriors made a great start to the match as Wihan Lubbe and Smuts (23) shared an opening stand of 71 off only 53 balls.

But the innings rather ran out of steam when Lubbe was caught at long-on off Sisanda Magala for a powerful 52 off 38 balls that included some great blows.

Young Tristan Stubbs was the provider of some impetus with his 37 off 26 balls, but the Warriors eventually closed on 141 for six.

Left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso (4-0-20-1) gave the Lions tremendous control in the middle overs, assisted by seamer Wiaan Mulder (3-0-11-1), while left-arm paceman Beuran Hendricks (4-0-26-1) ensured a strong finish in the field with some excellent death bowling.

The Lions will now play the Dolphins in Sunday’s final.

The Imperial Lions, having already taken occupancy of a playoff place, rested some key players and still cruised to a seven-wicket victory over the Cape Cobras in their T20 Challenge match at Kingsmead on Friday.

Although the Lions left out Kagiso Rabada, Sisanda Magala and Dwaine Pretorius, another typically disciplined bowling performance restricted the Cobras to 144 for six after the Cape side elected to bat first.

Opener Reeza Hendricks then took charge of the run-chase, stroking a commanding 75 off 59 balls to lead the Lions home with three balls to spare.

Hendricks and Temba Bavuma (29 off 21) looked after the bulk of the runs with a second-wicket stand of 84 off just 56 balls, but Wiaan Mulder added the finishing touches with 25 not out off just 10 deliveries. It was the all-rounder’s first match in the tournament and, having also bowled decently (2-0-16-1), he might just have earned himself a spot in the playoff on Saturday.

Spinner Imraan Manack was tight for the Cobras, conceding just 20 runs in his four overs.

Left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin (4-0-29-2), opening the bowling as usual, struck immediately for the Lions as he had Cobras captain Tony de Zorzi caught off the first ball of the innings, skying a most unnecessary swipe across the line.

Zubayr Hamza, who has just rediscovered his best form, was most unfortunate to have to retire hurt with a groin strain and the pressure continued to pile on the Cobras as Kyle Verreynne, who had brought some urgency in his 21 off 16 balls, was outfoxed by fast bowler Lutho Sipamla as they slipped to 32 for three.

George Linde (22) added 37 with Christiaan Jonker as the momentum started to turn and the Cobras were able to post a competitive total after Jonker and Corbin Bosch added 59 off 48 balls for the fifth wicket.

Jonker fought hard, showed his experience and played some fine strokes in his 44 off 39 deliveries, while Bosch showed some sweet stroke-playing ability in his 32 not out off 26 balls.

Sipamla was an exciting addition to the Lions attack with two for 27 in his four overs, while left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso stopped the scoring rate most effectively, conceding just 19 runs in his four overs.