Louis Oosthuizen has won the 2023 Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek for the first time in his career, despite playing with an injury he picked up on Friday.

The tournament on the banks of the Crocodile River concluded on Monday after rain and lightning forced play to be abandoned on the scheduled final day on Sunday.

On Monday, Oosthuizen, concluded a final round of three-under-par 69 for a two-stroke win.

Oosthuizen finished on 18-under-par to win the prestigious tournament and record his first victory in five-years.

A further two-strokes back was Oosthuizen’s good friend and four-time champion, Charl Schwartzel, who finished as the runner-up. Schwartzel has now finished as the runner-up on five occasions.

Oosthuizen said it wasn’t easy but it was his three putts from the 13th hole that swung it in his favour and beat is good friend and Stingers teammate, Schwartzel.

“It feels good. I’ve waited a long time for this one and it’s very special,” said the former Open Championship winner.

“This and the SA Open are the two events in South Africa that I always wanted to win. I’m very happy.

“I knew Charl was going to be around all day because he likes this golf course and he knows how to play it. I think it was those three putts for birdie that got me ahead.

“It’s tough to be very aggressive over the last few holes so I could sort of just hang on to making pars.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who won the Alfred Dunhill Championship in 2020, finished in third on 14-under-par.

Dean Burmester, who is a Stingers teammate of Oosthuizen and Schwartzel, won the two previous weeks by claiming the honours at the Joburg Open as well as South African Open.

The DP World Tour now heads to the Mauritius Open for the last tournament before the Christmas break.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport