by England’s Matthew Baldwin tamed the wind to end an 11-year wait for his first win on a European tour when he won the SDC Championship by seven shots in South Africa on Sunday.
He finished with a four-under-par 68 for a total of 270 at the Saint Francis Links on the south coast, with a closing 67 from Spaniard Adri Arnaus earning him second place.
Swede Jens Dantorf, Norway’s Kristian Johannessen, South Africa’s Jaco Ahlers, France’s Antoine Rozner and Scotsman Ewen Ferguson shared third place with 278, one stroke behind Arnaus.
“Winning means the world to me,” said Baldwin, adding that growing up in the English seaside town of Southport helped him combat South Africa’s windy conditions.
“Seeing from a coastal town, I’m used to playing with the wind and it was very strong at times this week,” said the champion, who took a four-shot lead in the final round.
“Forgive me that I’m a little self-conscious right now. Right now I can’t really process what I’ve accomplished.”
Baldwin had to play the last four holes of his third round early Sunday after poor light prevented him from doing so the night before.
He birdied three of them as then-co-leader Johannessen dropped a shot, allowing Baldwin to build a four-shot lead.
The Englishman continued his good form in the final round, extending the lead to six shots after nine holes thanks to three birdies.
After bogeying the par-4 11th hole, the only hole where he dropped a shot twice this week, Baldwin responded with a par and then two birdies to ensure there was no dramatic collapse.
He parried the last four holes, with a superb bunker shot on the climactic 15th, and stormed off the course clutching his putter and a bottle of champagne.
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