Meshack Motloung

Meshack Motloung

Omar Sandys came third in the inaugural Lombard Insurance Classic played at the Royal Swazi Sun Country Club at the weekend.

He came close to winning the event that was won by Nico van Rensburg who played his best golf to win this R350 000 Sunshine Tour event. Second was Zimbabwean Tangoona Charamba, who fired a final round 69 to trail the 41-year-old veteran from Pretoria.

Sandys is enjoying one of his best seasons on the Sunshine Tour, sparked by a runner-up finish at the Dimension Data Pro-Am and is ranked 15th on the current money list.

"I'm happy to finish third, and I'm playing well lately. There were a lot of positive signs for me going into the final round," he said.

Van Rensburg set up his impressive seven-under-par 65 with five birdies in a row from the fourth to the ninth hole in the final round. The golfer used to be one of the longest hitters in the game until a wrist injury five years ago impacted on his swing.

"After I missed the cut at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, I drove home with my confidence in tatters. I was ready to throw out my clubs," said Van Rensburg.

But former SA Open champion Clinton Whitelaw persuaded Van Rensburg to try a swinging aid designed to assist players with wrist injuries.

"I started using the aid, quite grudgingly I'll admit, but as I got a grip on my swing, I started achieving some results. I had a couple of really good rounds and my confidence got a nice boost."

But Van Rensburg still lacks the consistency that kept him going for more than a decade in Asia, where he achieved three victories.

"I'm getting good results," he said.