South Africa's Ockie Strydom claims Singapore Classic title

South Africa's Ockie Strydom claims Singapore Classic title

Ockie Strydom fired a flawless nine-under-par 63 in his final round to burst through the field and win the Singapore Classic.

South African Strydom started the day four shots off the pace set by Jeunghun Wang and Alejandro del Rey, but while they fell away, Finland's Sami Valimaki looked most likely to take advantage.

He was three clear of the field after sinking a 30-footer for birdie at the 10th, but Strydom reeled him in, adding four back-nine birdies to his five on the way out.

The pick of the bunch was on the par-five 18th when he left himself in a bit of trouble through the green with his second, but he held his nerve and chipped his shot stone dead to tap-in for birdie and set the target at 19 under.

That left Valimaki heading up the last needing an eagle to win or birdie to force a play-off but he left his second shot short and a par was the best he could manage.

Looking back on his touch of magic at the last, Strydom said: "It's a funny one. I said to my caddie that it's either got to go up in the air and if you hit a bit behind it, it's wet.

"I took a wedge, it came out absolutely phenomenal. I didn’t think it was coming out that good. But it did and ended up where it was."

Strydom's maiden win, at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, was back in December and helped him get over the line here.

He said: "It's a mindset that's changing at the moment. When you've been in that situation before and you know you can do it again."

He added: "I was thinking about not being here this week. Hitting it so badly. My coach flew in and my wife said to me, 'listen, maybe this is your week'. And look what happened, it's my week."

Valimaki was on his own in second on 18 under with Marcel Schneider, Jeunghun Wang and Alejandro del Rey another three shots further back.

Scotsman Grant Forrest and English pair Paul Waring and Richard Mansell were in the group sharing sixth on 14 under.