Jacques Kruyswijk showed he has recovered fully from surgery and is heading back to peak form with a two-stroke victory on Sunday in the Challenge Tour’s Dormy Open at Askersunds Golfklubb in Askersund, Sweden.
Kruyswijk birdied his final two holes to claim a maiden Challenge Tour title just two weeks after he won his third Sunshine Tour title, and he snagged a massive 209-place boost on the Road to Mallorca to 47th place. That gives him a chance of regaining his DP World Tour card with a few more good performances on the Challenge Tour this season – something which had looked like only a remote possibility ahead of this win.
Round four in Sweden was cancelled due to the weather conditions, meaning the tournament would be decided after 54 holes.
The South African was one of a number of competitors who returned to the course on Sunday to complete their third rounds after play was suspended due to heavy rain on Saturday.
With just three holes left to complete, the 30-year-old was two strokes behind overnight leader Aron Zemmer. But after the Italian dropped two strokes, Kruyswijk finished par-birdie-birdie to claim the title by two shots as he signed for a four-under-par 63 and a nine-under total.
“Ecstatic. That’s the only word I can think of,” said Kruyswijk. “It’s been a long week for all of the players. We’ve had so much rain, the course was flooded and last night I knew I had some work to do, I was prepared to play 20 holes. I was thinking to just get into the clubhouse with a score but I played 17 fantastically and played 18 unbelievably. I’m very happy with my finish.”
“The 18th was solid, four-iron down the middle of the fairway. I had 182 (yards) to the flag and my caddie said let’s just hit a full shot into the flag. So, I hit a seven-iron which finished around a metre from the hole. I was a little nervous around that last one, it’s not a gimme but managed to go in the middle of the cup so I’m very happy.”
A three-time winner on the Sunshine Tour, with his last victory coming just a fortnight ago at the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Zebula, Kruyswijk has now set his sights on a return to the DP World Tour at the end of the season.
“Any win is always big but for me to get over the line in Europe has always been a big thing for me,” he added. “I’ve had a few wins in South Africa and haven’t been able to get over the line in Europe. This means a lot; I’ve had double knee surgery last year which has put me back. Obviously, my confidence was at an all-time low the last couple of months and to be able to see the hard work of my team payoff is unbelievable.”
“It means the world, to win in Europe and on the Challenge Tour means I can take it to the next step and win on the DP World Tour, I’ve been playing there the last six years and haven’t been able to get the win so hopefully this is some added confidence going forward.”
Frenchman Ugo Coussaud shared second in Sweden with Germany’s Anton Albers, Spaniard Ivan Cantero Gutierrez and Irishman Conor Purcell.
