Johannes Veerman charged through the field on the final day to claim a sensational victory and second DP World Tour title at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.
The American overturned a five-stroke deficit during a thrilling final round at Gary Player CC on Sunday, where he mixed six birdies with three bogeys to card a three-under 69 and set the clubhouse target at five under.
Veerman was still a shot behind overnight leader Aldrich Potgieter when he finished his round, only for the South African to bogey two of his last three holes and agonisingly miss out on victory on home soil.
Potgieter bogeyed the par-four last to finish a shot back in tied-second alongside Matthew Jordan and Romain Langasque, who was in a share of the lead until a penultimate-hole bogey, as Veerman claimed his first DP World Tour title since the 2021 D+D Real Czech Masters.
"I did not have the best of seasons in the last two years, but my team and I have put in countless hours (of practice)," an emotional Veerman said. "To start this season with a win is indescribable. I thought I had a chance (at the start of the day), but then I thought I might have lost it when I three-putted on 16. Now it doesn't matter!"
Veerman snatches Sun City title
Potgieter cancelled out a double-bogey at the par-three third with birdies at the fifth and tenth to restore his overnight three-stroke cushion, only to blow the tournament wide open when he racked up a triple-bogey six at the par-three 12th.
Veerman - playing in the fourth from last group - was level-par for his round until he followed a long-range birdie at the sixth and a tap-in at the ninth, before adding further gains at the 11th and 14th.
A bogey on the 16th dropped Veerman back to five under before he finished his round with back-to-back pars, as Potgieter edged ahead by birdieing the 14th for a second day in a row.
Potgieter bogeyed the 16th to join him on that number and missed a good birdie chance on the 17th, before failing to get up and down to save par at the par-four last and missing a 10-foot putt to force a play-off.
Thorbjorn Olesen ended in sixth spot and two strokes back, with Francesco Laporta, Jordan Smith, Mackenzie Hughes, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Ockie Strydom, Julien Guerrier and Corey Conners all three strokes back in tied-sixth.
Max Homa, last year's winner, opened the tournament with a six-under 66 and ended it at level par. He closed with a 75 and was tied for 14th, five shots behind the winner.
What's next?
The DP World Tour season stays in South Africa for the Alfred Dunhill Championship, also co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour, which takes place at Leopard Creek CC. Watch live on Thursday from 9am on Sky Sports Golf or stream with NOW.
