The 26-year-old South African Thriston Lawrence would have woken up in Dubai on Monday morning with a big smile, because he not only finished fifth in the European series and Road to Dubai’s Tour Championship, but left his bank balance with around R6.34 million Hill.
With a strong finishing effort, Lawrence achieved three consecutive birdies on the last three holes and finished fifth on 271 strokes (-17) together with Spain’s Jon Rahm and Matthieu Pavon of France.
The series’ year-end tournament was won by 22-year-old Dane Nicolai Højgaard, who made five birdies over the last six holes and finished on 267 shots (-21).
Højgaard won prize money of $3 million (almost R57 million) with his first place.
The Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Wallace and Viktor Hovland (Norway) were together second on 269 (-19).
Højgaard’s twin brother, Rasmus Højgaard, was joint 11th at 274 (-14).
Zander Lombard, the only other South African to finish in the top 50 along with Lawrence in the European rankings to qualify for the Tour Championship, was tied for 22nd at 278 (-10). He still earned almost R1.57 million.
* In the US PGA Series’ RSM Classic tournament played at Sea Island in Georgia, young Swede Ludwig Åberg underlined his talents when he beat Canadian Mackenzie Hughes by four shots.
Åberg recorded 64 shots in the final round and finished on 253 shots (-29).
Hughes was at 257 (-25) in the clubhouse with Americans Tyler Duncan and Eric Cole joint third at 260.
It was only Åberg’s 11th tournament in which he played since he turned professional in May.
He finished fourth in the John Deere Classic in his first tournament, won the European Masters (his ninth tournament), was one of Europe’s victorious standouts in the Ryder Cup tournament and now also boasts his first victory in the PGA Series.
* South Korea’s Amy Yang won the CME Tour Championship by three shots at Thiburon Country Club in Naples, Florida after finishing three shots ahead of Japan’s Nasa Hataoka and Allison Lee (America) at 261 (-27) . They were joint second at 264 (-24).
The American Lilia Vu was third (267, -21).
Yang earned almost R20 million, the second largest prize money in women’s golf.
South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai finished joint 50th on 284 (-4).
