Staff WriterHerman Loubser etched his name into the history of the Vodacom Origins of Golf on Sunday, outlasting Yurav Premlall in a sudden-death playoff at Parys Golf & Country Estate to claim his first title in nearly three years.
Both men finished regulation tied on eight-under-par, Loubser closing with a 69 while Premlall stumbled to a 72. The playoff drama lasted all of one hole – the par-five 18th – where Loubser’s steady nerve and a birdie putt sealed the deal after Premlall’s tee shot left him scrambling.
“Yurav and I are good mates, so it’s a bit of a bitter-sweet victory,” Loubser admitted. “He had a bad lie off the tee and had to lay up. I had two putts left for birdie after a good second shot. Yurav didn’t make his birdie, so I ended with the win.”
Fast Start, Wobbly Middle, Perfect Finish
Loubser looked like he was running away with it early, carding four birdies in his opening five holes. Then came the gut punch: a double bogey at the par-five ninth that flung the door wide open.
Premlall, the defending champion, had started the day two shots clear, but his grip slipped as the back nine turned into a chess match of mistakes and recoveries.
When the dust settled after 72 holes, the pair were locked together at the top. Cue the playoff. One swing, one birdie, one winner. That’s golf’s version of a gunfight at high noon.
A Long Time Coming
For Loubser, this wasn’t just another trophy; it was a reminder he still knows how to close. “I’m over the moon with today – super happy,” he said. “It’s my first win since 2022. It’s quite a long time.
It almost feels like you’ve forgotten how to win. To get over the line after two recent second places really feel amazing. It takes a bit of pressure off, and I’m playing good golf. Hopefully I can just continue playing well.”
His caddie, Lloyd Gaya, also walked away with a champion’s medallion, thanks to the Sunshine Tour’s tradition of recognising the bagmen who help steer the ship.
The Chase Pack
Pieter Moolman (67), George Coetzee (71) and England’s Joe Long (71) tied for third on six under, a couple of swings shy of the playoff party.
Meanwhile, Nadia van der Westhuizen battled to a closing 72, finishing as the leading Sunshine Ladies Tour professional on two-over-par.
Back on the Map
The Vodacom Origins of Golf series has long been a proving ground for South African talent, and this latest edition served up the usual cocktail of brilliance, blunders, and bare-knuckle competition.
For Loubser, it was the sweet taste of redemption, ending a drought and reminding everyone that golf’s script is never finished until the last putt drops.
