Latest news with #JoburgOpen
Khaleej Times
10-03-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Great Scot! Calum Hill's late surge seals ‘special' Joburg Open victory for second DP World Tour title
Calum Hill produced a breathtaking final-round charge and held his nerve in a dramatic play-off to win the Joburg Open, securing his second DP World Tour title in unforgettable fashion. The victory ended a long wait since his breakthrough at the 2021 Cazoo Classic, making the moment even sweeter. "This means a lot," said Hill who has three wins on the Challenge Tour and one on the Sunshine Tour. "It's been a while since that first win, and to do it like this, coming from behind, it makes it even more special." The Scotsman, who started the day a staggering eight shots off the lead, fired a sensational final-round 62 at the Signature Jack Nicklaus-designed Houghton Golf Club to catapult himself into contention before edging out South Africans Jacques Kruyswijk and Shaun Norris in extra holes. "It's awesome. A little bit surprised there, I thought we were having to go again (to another play-off hole)," Hill, 34, admitted. "And then the lightning is ridiculous, so I don't know what was going to happen, but yeah, I'm delighted. It was a fantastic day, and this is the cherry on top." Hill was relentless in his pursuit, carding five birdies and a bogey on the front nine before igniting his charge on the back nine with another birdie at the 11th, followed by a hat-trick from the 13th. A bogey on the 16th momentarily halted his momentum, but a remarkable birdie on the last—helped by a fortunate bounce—put him in the clubhouse at 14 under par, setting a formidable target. "Getting the birdie on the 18th was the only way I was going to have a chance," Hill, who was born in Kirkcaldy, a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, said. "I got lucky with the bounce up the slope and made a nice five-footer, and then it gave me a chance to have a go in this play-off." Three-player Showdown With Kruyswijk and Norris both clawing their way back to match Hill's total, a three-man showdown ensued. After all three parred the first extra hole, Hill's steady par on the second proved enough for victory as Norris found the water and Kruyswijk missed a five-foot putt. "You never know how a play-off is going to go. I think that might be my first play-off ever, so it's nice to have a 1-0 record on that!" Hill quipped. For Norris, the day was a rollercoaster. The 42-year-old began with a commanding four-shot lead but saw it evaporate after early bogeys. Despite battling back with birdies at the fifth and sixth, a costly double bogey on the 12th opened the door for his challengers. He produced a late charge, holing a monster birdie putt at the last to force extra holes, but ultimately faltered in the play-off. Missed Opportunity Kruyswijk, meanwhile, carded a composed 66, staying in the mix with birdies at the 17th before his play-off hopes ended with a missed opportunity from five feet. The thrilling finale also brought the curtain down on the International Swing, with England's Laurie Canter finishing atop the standings. But on this Sunday in Johannesburg, the spotlight belonged to Calum Hill—gutsy, composed, and a champion once again.
BBC News
10-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Hill eyes PGA Tour card after Joburg Open victory
Calum Hill hopes the momentum gained from his Joburg Open triumph can help him reach his chief goal of securing a PGA Tour 30-year-old Scot sealed his second DP World Tour title in South Africa on takes him to 11th on the Race to Dubai rankings, in which the top 10 at the end of the year who do not already have one are handed cards for the United States-based circuit."Yes 100%, it's probably the main one this season," Hill told BBC Scotland when asked about his goals for the rest of the year. "My wife Miranda's from Arizona, so I've spent a lot of time out there and it would suit me nicely if I was able to continue the position I'm in and by the end of the year get one of those 10 cards – I'd be very happy."Hill, from Crook of Devon, secured victory at the Joburg Open on the second play-off hole after he equalled a course record 62 in his final dramatic victory lifted him 126 places to 160th in golf's world MacIntyre is 18th in the world rankings and Hill admits all the Scots on the DP World Tour are eager to be out playing in the States with him."All of us that are in that same group area that are playing in Europe right now are all aiming for that card to get to America," Hill, whose first title came at the Cazoo Classic in London in 2021, added."I think it's where most of the people would want to go towards in their career trajectory and I think we'd all be delighted to join Bob out there and hopefully have a good PGA Tour career."
NBC Sports
10-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Calum Hill wins three-man playoff to claim Joburg Open title on DP World Tour
Ryan Lavner and Rex Hoggard assess Rory McIlroy's equipment changes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, explaining why the decisions "torpedoed" his chances to win at Bay Hill amid an uneven weekend of play. JOHANNESBURG — Calum Hill of Scotland made par on the second playoff hole to outlast South African rivals Jacques Kruyswijk and Shaun Norris and win the Joburg Open on Sunday. The extra holes took place to the backdrop of thunder and lightning at Houghton Golf Club, with all three players parring the first playoff hole - the par-4 18th — to go back up to the tee. Norris, who led overnight by four strokes, dropped out of contention after hitting his second shot into water from a fairway bunker before Hill left his birdie putt from off the green just short, tapping in for par. Kruyswijk needed to roll in a par putt from 3 feet to extend the playoff, but pushed it right. Hill, ranked No. 286, clinched his second European tour title — the first being the Cazoo Classic in 2021. He shot 8-under 62 to set the clubhouse target at 14 under and was joined in the playoff first by Kruyswijk (66), who was seeking a second victory in three weeks after winning the Magical Kenya Open last month, and then Norris after his two birdies in the last three holes to complete a round of 70. Norris, bidding for a wire-to-wire victory, won the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December.
Reuters
09-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Briton Hill wins Joburg Open in playoff against local favourites
March 9 (Reuters) - Scotland's Calum Hill won a three-man playoff to take the Joburg Open at Houghton Golf Club on Sunday, defeating local favourites Jacques Kruyswijk and Shaun Norris in dramatic fashion. Hill putted in for a par on the second extra hole and then watched as Kruyswijk missed a short put to hand him the title. "It was a fantastic day and then a cherry on top," said Hill, after a final-round 62 saw him bound up the leaderboard and go into the clubhouse in the lead as the last pairings came in. Kruyswijk birdied the 17th to join Hill on 14 under par and a spectacular put from overnight leader Norris on the 18th also earned him a place in the playoff. Norris had a four-shot lead going into the last round but fell two off the pace midway through the back nine, before recovering to sink birdies on the last two holes and get into the playoff. Kruyswijk carded 66 in his final round, but it was Hill who blitzed through the field with the best round of the tournament for a four-round total of 266. The 30-year-oild Scot started the last day eight shots behind the leader but 10 birdies helped him into the playoff before he clinched his second title on the DP World Tour after the Cazzo Classic in 2021.
Associated Press
09-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Calum Hill wins three-man playoff to claim Joburg Open title on the European tour
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Scottish golfer Calum Hill made par on the second playoff hole to outlast South African rivals Jacques Kruyswijk and Shaun Norris and win the Joburg Open on Sunday. The extra holes took place to the backdrop of thunder and lightning at Houghton Golf Club, with all three players parring the first playoff hole — the par-4 18th — to go back up to the tee. Norris, who led overnight by four strokes, dropped out of contention after hitting his second shot into water from a fairway bunker before Hill left his birdie putt from off the green just short, tapping in for par. Kruyswijk needed to roll in a par putt from 3 feet to extend the playoff, but pushed it right. Hill, ranked No. 286, clinched his second European tour title — the first being the Cazoo Classic in 2021. He shot 8-under 62 to set the clubhouse target at 14 under and was joined in the playoff first by Kruyswijk (66), who was seeking a second victory in three weeks after winning the Magical Kenya Open last month, and then Norris after his two birdies in the last three holes to complete a round of 70. Norris, bidding for a wire-to-wire victory, won the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December. ___
