He hugged his caddie and girlfriend after claiming the third victory of his Sunshine Tour career and his second this season in the Blue Label Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City on Saturday.

Broomhead completed a wire-to-wire triumph and won by four points on a total of 45 points overall as part of the modified Stableford scoring system used for this tournament.

“The last few months have just been unreal,” said the 23-year-old Broomhead. “From the Tour Championship (last season)  it kind of kicked off from there, and having my girlfriend, Kaylan, on the bag – I wouldn’t want anyone else.”

‘Incredible start to his professional career’

It has indeed been an incredible start to his professional career. After winning the Tour Championship as a Sunshine Tour rookie last season, Broomhead added the Vodacom Origins of Golf at the Wild Coast Sun last month, and then this triumph at Sun City. And this week he played with a composure that suggested he’s been out here for years.

The Durban professional opened with 19 points at the Gary Player Country Club in the first round, added a further 12 points at the Lost City Golf Course in the second round, and then signed off at the Gary Player Country Club with seven points in round three and seven points in Saturday’s final round.

Even when South Africa’s Ricky Hendler, who finished second on 41 points, pushed him with a fast start of three consecutive birdies to immediately narrow his overnight lead, Broomhead remained calm.

“I played nicely the whole day. I kept my head strong and did what I needed to do. Ricky (Hendler) came at us hot but we kept our heads.”  Broomhead’s victory moved him into second place behind Daniel van Tonder on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit.

Scores:

45 – Jonathan Broomhead 19 12 7 7

41 – Ricky Hendler 7 16 10 8

37 – Pieter Moolman 8 6 12 11

34 – Jack Hawksby 8 15 10 1

28 – Gerhard Pepler 4 11 11 2

26 – MJ Viljoen 3 11 0 12, Jacques Kruyswijk 4 8 11 3

25 – Casey Jarvis 4 11 3 7, Lyle Rowe 3 9 6 7, Heinrich Bruiners 6 5 10 4

24 – Werner Deyzel 9 6 3 6, Daniel van Tonder 0 11 10 3

23 – Ruan Korb 10 8 4 1

21 – Louis Albertse 10 9 -2 4, Martin Vorster 3 4 10 4

20 – Robin Williams 8 8 1 3, Nikhil Rama 11 -1 7 3

19 – Malcolm Mitchell 7 -3 6 9, Jean Hugo 7 -2 6 8, Keenan Davidse 6 7 -1 7, Rupert Kaminski 7 -1 6 7, Rhys West 7 2 6 4, JJ Senekal 8 8 2 1, Yurav Premlall 1 7 10 1

18 – Altin van der Merwe 10 -1 1 8

17 – Stefan Wears-Taylor 6 -1 2 10, Franklin Manchest 5 4 3 5, Herman Loubser 1 7 4 5, Trevor Fisher Jnr 5 10 4 -2

16 – Craig Ross 1 4 1 10

15 – Hennie Otto 4 6 -4 9, Luke Brown 9 -4 6 4, Stuart Krog 7 7 3 -2, Neil Schietekat 8 4 2 1

14 – Otto Van Buynder 8 -5 3 8, Graham van der Merwe 2 6 0 6

12 – Hennie O'Kennedy 1 4 4 3, Jacques P de Villiers 3 4 10 -5

11– Rourke van der Spuy 5 3 8 -5

10 – Peter Karmis -2 8 -3 7, CJ du Plessis 1 2 4 3, Jovan Rebula 5 -1 11 -5

9 – Joe Long -2 6 -7 12, Samuel Simpson 2 1 -2 8, Michael Hollick -1 4 6 0, Robson Chinhoi -4 13 1 -1

8 – Kyle De Beer 11 -4 -5 6, Ruan de Smidt 0 3 1 4, George Coetzee 6 6 2 -6, Jason Roets 3 7 4 -6

7 – James Mack 2 6 -3 2, Ethan Smith -3 7 3 0, Wynand Dingle 1 11 -1 -4

6 – Jaco Van Zyl 3 2 -2 3, Keegan Mclachlan 0 9 5 -8

5 – Albert Venter -1 4 0 2

1– Jake Redman -3 6 1 -3

0 – Pierre Pellegrin 5 5 -9 -1, Jacques Blaauw 2 1 4 -7

-1 – Jaden Deltel 3 1 -2 -3

-3 – Brandon Gildenhuys 7 0 2 -12

Missed the cut: 

2 – LB Boshoff 1 1, David Amm 0 2, Fredrik From 4 -2

1 – Luke Jerling 3 -2, Simon du Plooy -1 2, Dayne Moore 3 -2, Gregory Mckay 3 -2

0 – Ruan Conradie -1 1

-1 – Kyle McClatchie -10 9

-2 – Matthew Spacey 3 -5, Anthony Michael -2 0

-4 – Makhetha Mazibuko -1 -3, Tristin Galant -2 -2

-6 – Christiaan Burke -9 3

-7 – Combrinck Smit -6 -1

-9 – Lyle Pedro -8 -1, Christian Kriek -2 -7

-10 – Stephen Ferreira 1 -11

-15– Oliver Bekker -4 -11

Michael Vlismas Media dg