Frade comes from behind to win the Altron Big Easy at Randpark Golf Club
Nicholaus Frade does not make the mistake his competitors make on 18th hole, and finishes with a birdie to win.
Nicholaus Frade showed big-match temperament as he claimed a come-from-behind victory after the first playoff hole in the final round of the season-opening Altron Big Easy tournament at Randpark Golf Club on July 6.
Along with Pecanwood Golf Estate’s Slade Pickering and Vryburg Golf Club’s Leon Vorster, Frade finished the tournament on 14 under par in regulation, necessitating a playoff to decide the winner of this first event of the new season.
Coming into the final round, the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington golfer was two shots off Vorster and Allister de Kock’s lead and knew that an unrelenting push in the closing round would give him a fair chance at victory.
As he had done in the previous round, Frade was meticulous and deliberate in every shot he played, resulting in a second successive five-under 67 which placed him in a three-way share of the lead with Vorster and Pickering.
Pickering was first off the tee in sudden death, sending his tee shot left and into the trees lining the 18th fairway on the Bushwillow track. Vorster, too, pushed his tee shot left and into trees while Frade found the fairway and a clear view of the 18th green. His second shot was just as impressive, leaving him about 2m from the flag.
Vorster manufactured a beautiful shot out of the trees to find the green while Pickering’s second landed on the fringe behind the green. Pickering’s third shot was well-weighted and stopped half a metre from the flag. Vorster also failed to make a birdie with his third shot, leaving Frade with a glorious opportunity to score a birdie and claim the win.
“I’m super ecstatic,” said an elated Frade. “Last year I came close to winning a few Big Easy tournaments but today I got it done. This is the first time I went three rounds in the 60s in a tournament. I thought to myself if I can post three rounds in the 60s, I could get it done. Luckily, it got me into the playoff and made a nice birdie for the win.”
He said his strategy in the playoff was to go right when he knew the flag was on the left on the 18th hole.
“I knew I needed to make the putt to win and I did just that.”
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