SA-favorite Dylan Naidoo beat Englishman Laurie Canter in a playoff to win the Investec South Africa Open 2025. The tournament was filled with dramas and twists until it was eventually called at 54 holes.
South Africa has been experiencing heavy rains, which led to some parts of Durban Country Club being totally submerged by water. The greenkeepers worked hard to drain the water and make the course playable. However, the starting round was delayed for three hours, and the pro-am event scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled.
On the second day, Dale Whitnell made history on the DP World Tour after making two hole-in-ones in one round. Whitnell hit the 185-yard tee shot on hole #2 using a 7-iron to score the ace. The second one came on hole #12, 128 yds away, hitting a 50-degree wedge.
In the third round, Laurie Canter and Dylan Naidoo shared the lead with a score of 14-under. Canter had an impressive round with six birdies and an eagle on the third hole. However, a double bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the 16th saw him shoot 68 (-4). He shot 3-under on day one and 7-under in the second round.
Naidoo struggled on the third day, shooting 1-under, but had a stunning second round with 10 birdies and an eagle on hole 8 to go 11-under. The 27-year-old ended up at 14-under by the end of the third round.
After torrential rains on Saturday, DP World Tour Officials decided to cancel the 4th round and make the SA Open a 54-hole tournament. The two co-leads, Canter and Naidoo, had to go head on head on the 18th hole to determine the winner.
Both players hit impressive drives just short of the green. Naidoo chipped within four feet of the hole, followed by a putt to win his maiden DP World Tour at the Investec SA Open Championship 2025.
Englishman Marco Penge came in third at13-under par. South Africans Branden Grace, Darren Fichardt and amateur Christiaan Maas shared fourth at 12-under.
After his win, the South African commented about his chip. “That type of shot is my bread and butter, a little low skipper. This is a special moment for me, it’s a special moment for everybody here in Durban – it’s overwhelming,” said Naidoo.
