Heinrich Bruiners woke up at 1:30am on the day of the final round of the Stella Artois Players Championship and had the number of eight under par in his mind. Several hours later he shot an eight-under-par 64 to end an 11-year win drought with his emotional victory in this Sunshine Tour event at Dainfern Golf Estate on Sunday.

Bruiners birdied his final three holes to finish on 28 under par, one shot ahead of Jaco Ahlers (66), Michael Hollick (68) and Haydn Porteous (68).

It was an emotional win for a man who has worked so hard to reclaim the form that saw him win the 2013 Vodacom Origins of Golf, and who has had to overcome a car accident, serious injury and sometimes even his own doubts as he’s fought his way back into the winner’s circle.

“It’s been such a long journey to stand with a trophy again. I never stopped believing, but it was tough. But everyone behind the scenes has been supporting me. The Nomads, the guys on the driving ranges – I’m so grateful for those who have been behind me. When you’re on top everybody wants to be part of the victory but there is a lot of darkness and searching to get to the top,” said Bruiners, who finished before the final group and was on the putting green preparing for a playoff before he broke down in tears when it was confirmed he had won.

“I just want to thank everybody involved and everybody who supports the Sunshine Tour. My fellow professionals have stepped up to another level and it’s pushed me to work even harder. 

“We all fight to get on the big stage and it’s really nice to stand here with a trophy. I told my girlfriend I’m going to do something special this week. It’s crazy. It’s written in the stars,” he said.

This week showcased some of the best scoring seen on the Sunshine Tour as players threatened to shoot 59 while a number of golfers had 29s for nine holes. It was exactly the realization of how the standard of golf is improving on the Sunshine Tour that Bruiners says pushed him to work even harder at his own game.

“Everyone has been playing so well and the standard of golf is unbelievable. I remember shooting four under at Glendower Golf Club in a regular Sunshine Tour event and finishing in the top 10. This year, four under on the same golf course was just the cut at the Jonsson Workwear Open. It’s unbelievable.” – Michael Vlismas.

SCORES:

260 - Heinrich Bruiners 64 65 67 64

261 - Jaco Ahlers 67 62 66 66, Michael Hollick 64 65 64 68, Haydn Porteous 64 66 63 68

262 - Keenan Davidse 64 66 63 69

263 - Jacques Blaauw 68 66 63 66

264 - Wynand Dingle 70 61 69 64, Ryan Van Velzen 70 63 67 64, Daniel van Tonder 64 71 64 65, Luke Jerling 66 67 64 67, JJ Senekal 69 62 65 68, Louis Albertse 66 66 64 68

265 - Neil Schietekat 69 64 66 66, Luca Filippi 65 67 66 67, MJ Viljoen 65 65 66 69, Joe Long 66 66 64 69

266 - Martin Vorster 69 64 68 65, Conner Mackenzie 70 65 65 66, Keelan van Wyk 66 66 66 68, Callum Mowat 66 64 67 69

267 - Luke Brown 70 66 66 65, Jovan Rebula 69 65 67 66, Robson Chinhoi 65 64 71 67

268 - Jonathan Broomhead 67 69 66 66, Darren Fichardt 67 66 68 67, Stuart Krog 66 67 66 69, Ruan Conradie 65 68 65 70, Rourke van der Spuy 63 67 67 71

269 - Jacques Kruyswijk 71 66 65 67

270 - Jake Roos 66 67 70 67, Malcolm Mitchell 67 67 68 68, Herman Loubser 66 71 65 68, Jean Hugo 65 65 71 69, Hennie O'Kennedy 66 64 71 69, Jack Hawksby 66 69 66 69, Jaco Van Zyl 66 68 66 70, Pierre Pellegrin 65 70 65 70, Nikhil Rama 71 62 66 71, Fredrik From 68 65 65 72, Deon Germishuys 65 67 65 73

271 - Jbe' Kruger 68 69 68 66, JC Ritchie 66 69 67 69, Dylan Naidoo 71 65 64 71, Martin Rohwer 68 66 63 74

272 - Travis Ladner 68 67 70 67, Ricky Hendler 65 69 69 69

273 - Franklin Manchest 66 71 67 69, Sean Bradley 73 64 65 71

274 - Robin Williams 69 68 69 68, Ruan Korb 66 71 68 69, Harry Konig 67 64 72 71

275 - Albert Venter 72 64 69 70, Anton Karlsson 69 66 67 73, James Mack 68 67 66 74

276 - Lyle Rowe 68 68 70 70, Jason Roets 68 69 68 71, Thabiso Ngcobo 70 66 68 72, Stefan Wears-Taylor 66 68 69 73

277 - Hayden Griffiths 67 68 72 70, Trevor Fisher Jnr 67 68 70 72, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 67 70 66 74

278 - Jonathan Waschefort 73 63 72 70, Yurav Premlall 71 64 69 74, Tristen Strydom 66 69 66 77

279 - Tristin Galant 67 67 74 71

282 - Ethan Smith 69 67 75 71

286 - Gerhard Pepler 66 69 74 77, Visitor Mapwanya 70 66 71 79

Missed the cut:-

138 - Danie Van Niekerk 69 69, Lwazi Gqira 71 67, LB Boshoff 69 69, Vaughn van Deventer 69 69, Kyle Barker 69 69, Hennie Otto 68 70, Dylan Mostert 69 69

139 - Willie Olivier 66 73, James Hart du Preez 72 67, Toto Thimba Jnr 68 71, Peter Karmis 69 70, Richie O'Donovan 69 70, Ruan de Smidt 69 70, Jacques P de Villiers 69 70, Rhys West 70 69, Estiaan Conradie 70 69

140 - DK Kim 75 65, Kyle De Beer 73 67, Sentanio Minnie 68 72, Keith Horne 69 71, Philip Geerts 72 68, Allister de Kock 67 73, Ronald Rugumayo 70 70, Combrinck Smit 66 74, Leon Visser 73 67, Quintin Wilsnach 69 71

141 - Reinhardt Blaauw 70 71, Ulrich van den Berg 75 66, Jared Harvey 70 71, CJ du Plessis 74 67, Richard Joubert 71 70, Brandon-Jude Rennie 72 69, Madalitso Muthiya 68 73, Alex Haindl 72 69, Dayne Moore 72 69, Jake Redman 71 70, Ryan Tipping 72 69

142 - Irvin Mazibuko 68 74, Erhard Lambrechts 74 68, Matthew Spacey 75 67, Christiaan Basson 69 73, Thabang Simon 70 72

143 - Njoroge Kibugu 74 69, Tyron Davidowitz 68 75, James Pennington 70 73, Gregory Mckay 70 73, Anthony Michael 72 71, Keegan Mclachlan 72 71, Musiwalo Nethunzwi 70 73, Aneurin Gounden 71 72, Kyle McClatchie 72 71

144 - Clancy Waugh 69 75, Keagan Thomas 70 74, Jastice Mashego 70 74, Nyasha Muyambo 76 68, Wade Jacobs 72 72

145 - Slenda Sithebe 75 70, Gerhard Trytsman 72 73, Sean Cronje 73 72, Karabo Mokoena 75 70

146 - Teboho Sefatsa 74 72, Nicholaus Frade 69 77, Jacquin Hess 74 72

147 - Lindani Ndwandwe 74 73, Siyanda Mwandla 73 74, James Kamte 70 77

148 - Mandla Dlamini Jnr 75 73, Merrick Bremner 75 73, Adriel Poonan 73 75

149 - Drikus Joubert 73 76, Makhetha Mazibuko 73 76

150 - Michael Kok 72 78

152 - Keelan Africa 72 80

158 - Alphius Kelapile 82 76

WDN - Rupert Kaminski 75 WDN WDN