Staff WriterJacques Kruyswijk seems to have a habit of making Cape Town the stage for life’s biggest moments. He won his first Sunshine Tour title here. He got engaged here. And on Sunday, he added another memory to the list by winning the Vodacom Origins Golf event at Devonvale Golf & Wine Estate after a blustery final round and nerve-shredding two-hole playoff.
The South African held off George Coetzee in gusts strong enough to knock the taste out of your mouth, making par on the second playoff hole to seal his fourth Sunshine Tour victory—and his second on the Vodacom Origins Golf series. For the first time in his career, his mother was able to watch him lift a trophy in person.
“It’s always special to win. Cape Town has always been good to me, and it was nice to come out on top this week,” said Kruyswijk, grinning like a man who’d just outlasted both the wind and one of the country’s toughest competitors.
The Duel in the Wind
Kruyswijk started the day with a two-shot lead, but Coetzee proved as stubborn as the breeze whipping through the winelands. By the time they trudged onto the back nine, the two were locked in a dead heat.
The par-four 18th—straight into the teeth of the gale—added its own cruel twist. Kruyswijk stumbled to a double bogey, Coetzee bogeyed, and suddenly they were both stuck on 10-under.
The first playoff hole ended in a stalemate, both men grinding out pars. On the second, however, Kruyswijk steadied himself and showed the grit that has become his trademark.
“I was fresh off a double bogey going into the playoff, which is never great. It felt like I threw it away there, but that last hole was playing ridiculously tough,” he admitted.
“I pulled myself together on the tee-off and knew I still had a chance. I kept a strong mindset. I was hoping to bank on my experience today and I think it showed quite a lot on certain holes. Kudos to George. What a great battle out there. His experience also showed. But man, I’m happy to come out on top this week.”
A Win That Means More
For Kruyswijk, this wasn’t just about another line on the CV. It was about resilience, about turning near-disaster into triumph, and about sharing it with family for the first time. Cape Town continues to deliver milestones in his career, and this latest chapter only reinforces his bond with the Vodacom Origins Golf series.
On the women’s side, Gabrielle Venter led the charge for the Sunshine Ladies Tour professionals, finishing on four-over par after closing with a 77.
But make no mistake—the spotlight belonged to Kruyswijk, who turned a brutal day in the winelands into a celebration. Cape Town gave him the wind, the nerves, and the playoff pressure. He gave it a champion’s finish.
