Keegan McLachlan cruised to a three-stroke victory on Wednesday with a four-under-par 68 in the final round of the Bushveld Tour’s Race to Q-School College Sports America Series #3 at Modderfontein Golf Club.
McLachlan, who won the first tournament in the three-event series, carded a 54-hole tally of 11-under-par, keeping him well clear of runners-up Ricky Hendler, Marcel Steyn Scholtz and Matt Saulez on eight-under. Hendler closed with a 66, Scholtz with a 70 and Saulez with a 69.
McLachlan made his move early on with two birdies in his first five holes, and although he dropped a shot with a bogey on the seventh, he got things straight back on track with his third birdie on the eighth. Two more gains came on the 14th and the 16th, and he was home and hosed.
Hendler made the most concerted effort to haul in McLachlan. The left-hander made an eagle and four birdies in a bogey-free round. But McLachlan’s consistency with rounds of 69-68-68 was always a tough proposition to chase down.
In fact, he’s been consistent throughout the series, topping the Order of Merit comfortably with finishes of first, fourth and first in the three tournaments. Second on that list was Travis Ladner, third Bradley Bawden and fourth was Hendler.
Those four players have all won their entry fees to the Sunshine Tour’s Qualifying School tournament in April at Heron Banks in Sasolburg.
