DP World Tour : Joburg Open final Leaderboard
Thriston Lawrence became the first winner of the DP World Tour era after the Joburg Open was reduced to a 36-hole event.
The opening event of the 2022 DP World Tour season had already been reduced to 54 holes to allow non-South African resident players, caddies and tournament support staff return to their home countries, with international travel restrictions imposed on the country after the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant.
Home favourite Lawrence had matched his lowest DP World Tour round on days one and two, with a pair of 65s sending him into the weekend at Randpark Golf Club at 12 under and with a four shot lead.
Weather delays over the first two days meant that the second round had to be completed on Saturday morning but when the rest of the field completed their own second rounds, Lawrence was still four ahead.
A bogey on the first trimmed his advantage but more dangerous weather swept in at 12.12pm and, with no prospect of getting play completed on day three, the result was declared based on 36-hole scores.
Lawrence's fellow South African Zander Lombard was second on eight under, a shot clear of another South African in Shaun Norris and England's Ashley Chesters.
The win also hands Lawrence, Lombard and Chesters a place in the field for The 150th Open Championship next month, with Norris already exempt.
Lawrence takes his first win in just his 22nd DP World Tour event, with six made cuts and a best finish of 17th in the previous 21.
He arrived in Johannesburg as an affiliate member but after adding to his Sunshine Tour victory at the 2019 Vodacom Origins Stellenbosch, he now has a DP World Tour exemption until 2023 and moves to the top of the fledgling DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex - with 75% points awarded for a 36-hole win.
Canada's Aaron Cockerill finished T12 -3 worth approximately $18,000 cdn. For travel restrictions he and other Canadians are facing see my previous post
Bryan
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