Porteous Does South African Double In Joburg

Haydn Porteous shot a closing 69 to win the Joburg Open

Haydn Porteous wins the Joburg Open
Haydn Porteous poses with his trophy after securing victory on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club
(Image credit: Getty)

Haydn Porteous became the second South African in as many weeks to claim a debut European Tour win after a closing 69 at the Joburg Open

Haydn Porteous wins the Joburg Open 

Haydn Porteous became the second South African in as many weeks to claim a debut European Tour win, after a bogey-free final round saw him with the Joburg Open by two shots.

The 21-year-old follows on from Brandon Stone who won the BMW South African Open last week, while his win also makes it three South African wins out of five after Charl Schwartzel's victory at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Porteous finished on 18-under after his 69 around the East Course at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club was enough to see off countryman Zander Lombard.

England's Anthony Wall finished in a share of third - alongside Swede Björn Åkesson, American Daniel Im and South African Justin Walters - to earn his place Royal Troon for The Open Championship.

Heading into the Joburg Open, Porteous had missed his last two cuts, but with this win he earns an exemption until the end of 2017.

Early in the round Porteous had trailed runner-up Lombard by two shots, after the pair and Wall came into the day sharing the lead.

But he closed the gap by getting up-and-down with a 30-yard greenside bunker shot on the 8th for birdie, before Lombard three-putted twice in a row on 8 and 9 to drop back, before being forced into playing a left-handed shot on the 11th led for another bogey.

Swede Åkesson drained a 15-footer for birdie on the 15th to hit the front with Porteous, but a poor third on the par-5 18th and three putts led to a bogey and a 15-under total.

Porteous then made a birdie on the 14th, while Lombard made it three bogeys in six holes as he three-putted the same hole.

A brilliant second into the last effectively secured victory for Porteous, whose closing was matched by Lombard to earn his place at Royal Troon next summer.

3 Talking points from the Joburg Open

1 - Porteous becomes the fourth first-time winner of the season, alongside Nathan Holman (Australian PGA), Marc Leishman (Nedbank), Brandon Stone (BMW SA Open).

2 - Aged 21 years and 193 days, Porertous becomes the third youngest South African winner in European Tour history, after Charl Schwartzel (20 years and 103 days) and Anton Haig (20 years and 300 days).

3 - He also becomes the seventh South African winner in the history of the Joburg Open and the 134th South African victor in European Tour history.

Joburg Open leaderboard

1 - Haydn Porteous (-18) €153,809 2 - Zander Lombard (-16) €111,596 3 -Björn Åkesson (-15) €47,307 3 - Daniel Im (-15) € 47,307 3 - Anthony Wall (-15) €47,307 3 - Justin Walters (-15) €47,307 7 - Jacques Blaauw (-14) €26,249 7 - Johan Carlsson (-14) €26,249 9 - Paul Dunne (-13) €20,960 10 - Alex Haindl (-12) €17,531 10 - Ross McGowan (-12) €17,531 10 - Richard Sterne (-12) €17,531

Jake O'Reilly specilaises in equipment coverage, and joined the Golf Monthly team in 2013. Before this he graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a Sports Journalism and Media degree, and worked at a number of British golf magazines. Follow Jake on Twitter @jake0reilly