The City of Johannesburg has congratulated South African golfing star and 2021 Joburg Open champion, Thriston Lawrence, on his historic victory at the Omega European Masters in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
Lawrence produced a remarkable final-round performance on Sunday, shooting an eight-under-par 62 to overturn a six-shot deficit before defeating England’s Paul Casey in a dramatic sudden-death playoff.
The 29-year-old eventually secured victory with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole, claiming his third Omega European Masters title and etching his name into the history books alongside legendary Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros as only the second player to win the prestigious tournament three times.
Lawrence’s latest triumph is another proud moment for South African golf and further highlights the calibre of talent that has emerged through tournaments such as the Joburg Open, one of the City’s flagship sporting events.
Speaking after his historic victory, an emotional Lawrence described the achievement as one of the greatest moments of his career. “It’s just the best feeling in the world, honestly the best feeling in the world.”
Lawrence said it was a special honour to join Ballesteros as a three-time winner of the event.
“It’s amazing, to play in a golf tournament that I think is the longest ever that’s hosted at the same golf course, and to share three with Seve, I never met him but I’ve always seen clips of him, and it’s unbelievable to share that with him.”
The victory comes after a challenging season for Lawrence, who had slipped to 183rd in the world rankings. His determination and remarkable comeback in Switzerland, however, demonstrated the resilience and fighting spirit that have made him one of South Africa’s leading golfers.
The City of Johannesburg congratulates Lawrence on his outstanding achievement and wishes him continued success as he proudly flies the South African flag on the international golfing stage.
SUPPLIED.
