Singapore Classic: Ockie Strydom powers up the leaderboard to clinch victory | Golf News

South Africa’s Ockie Strydom claimed his second European Tour victory after shooting a brilliant nine-under 63 to cement his place in the rankings and clinch the Singapore Classic by one stroke.

South Africa’s Ockie Strydom shot a nine-under 63 on Sunday to cement his place in the rankings and take the Singapore Classic by one stroke from Finland’s Sami Valimaki.

Strydom shot a final round 63 – his best score on the final day at Laguna National Golf Resort Club – to finish at 19 under to win his second European Tour title after claiming the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa in December.

Valimaki, who started the final round two shots behind overnight leaders Wang Jeung-hun and Alejandro del Rey, shot a six-under 66 to finish one stroke behind Strydom.

Valimaki looked the most likely to take advantage and three out of the field after sinking a 30-footer for birdie at the 10th, but Strydom reeled him in, adding four back-nine birdies to five on the way out.

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

That put Valimaki up at the end needing an eagle to win or a birdie to force a play-off but he left his second shot and that was the best he could do.

Wang and Del Rey finished in a tie for third with Germany’s Marcel Schneider at 15 under.

Looking back at the touch of Magic at the end, Strydom said: “It’s a funny one. I told the caddy that one must go up in the air and if you press a bit behind it rains.

“I took the wedge, it came out phenomenal. I didn’t think it came out that well. But then it ended up where it did.”

Finland’s Sami Valimaki was three in the field, but Strydom beat him

Strydom’s first win, at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, came back in December and helped him over the line here.

He said: “It’s a changing mindset now. When you’ve been in that situation before and you know you can do it again.”

He added: “I thought about not being here this week. It hit me hard. My coach flew in and my wife said to me, ‘Listen, maybe this is your week’. Look what happened, this is my week.”

Scotland’s Grant Forrest and the English pair of Paul Waring and Richard Mansell in the group shared six in 14 in.

Tom McKibbin, the 20-year-old from Northern Ireland, who took the first-round lead after shooting a 64, finished in a tie for 11th at 13 under.

Get the best prices and go round at one of our 1,700 courses in the UK & Ireland