Andy DevaneyA closing 64 in Kigali gave the South African his breakthrough title and something valuable for the months ahead: the freedom to prepare for bigger events with his place secured.
Kyle de Beer won the inaugural Rwanda Open with six shots to spare, a sizeable gap for a golfer claiming his first Sunshine Tour title. After 11 career top-10 finishes, the South African made this breakthrough emphatic, closing with a 64 at Kigali Golf Resort and Villas to finish on 27 under par.
There was precious little ambiguity about the result. Estiaan Conradie, his nearest challenger on the final leaderboard, shot 69 to take second at 21 under. Another six players finished a shot further back, sharing third. De Beer had given the leaderboard plenty of room to breathe beneath his name.
The significance stretched beyond Sunday’s winning margin. Victory also opened the door to lucrative Sunshine Tour events in the coming months, giving him the chance to plan for those starts without the uncertainty over getting in.
“We all know that from December, January and February we do have some very big golf events to play, so to be into all of those without any stress and to be able to prepare properly, it’s a great time to win,” he said.
That is a useful dividend from a first title: a clearer schedule, as well as a rather stronger reason to trust his game.
A fast start in Kigali
De Beer began his final round with three birdies in four holes and added five more before he was finished. Eight birdies on the day supplied the substance behind that six-shot margin.
Conradie’s 69 left him alone in second, while the congested group immediately behind him showed how little separated the next six players over the tournament.
Daniel Cronje closed with 65 and Germany’s Allen John with 66 to finish on 20 under. Fortress Rookie of the Year leader Benjamin Kedochim joined them after a 68, alongside Travis Procter and Ryan van der Klis, who both shot 69, and Cole Stevens, who returned 70.
Winning caddie Stanley May received the Sunshine Tour caddie medallion, sharing in the recognition of De Beer’s breakthrough.
The proof De Beer had been waiting for
Those 11 top-10s had already given De Beer evidence that he could compete. Winning answered the question that good finishes alone could not quite settle.
“I think I just confirmed what I really thought about myself in that I knew I could win out here – to have the validation now is amazing. It really feels like all the work that I’ve put in with my whole team over the last year has slowly started building into something, and for it to materialise now is amazing,” he said.
His reaction to the venue was equally warm.
“It’s surreal to be honest. To get my first win here is a dream come true. It’s an amazing venue with amazing people here in Rwanda. I could not have scripted it better,” De Beer said.
The Sunshine Tour moves next to Euphoria Golf and Lifestyle Estate for the Limpopo Championship from 1–4 October.
For De Beer, the calendar now includes the opportunity to prepare for bigger events with the entry question already answered.
