It's Van den Berg as Greene implodes

By Mike Green Last updated: 30th July 2010

Ulrich van den Berg saw a glimmer of hope - and grabbed it with both hands to snatch the Eastern Cape edition of the Vodacom Business Origins of Golf event at Humewood Golf Club on Friday.

Van den Berg saw the door of opportunity open just a shade on the 17th when Daniel Greene, the first and second round leader, put his third into the bunker behind the green, and had to play out of it sideways to be left with a 40-foot putt for par.

Greene three-putted, and the two-stroke lead he had so carefully nurtured on a difficult final round in pursuit of his maiden win in his rookie season on the Sunshine Tour had suddenly evaporated.

"I feel a bit sad for Daniel," said the triumphant Van den Berg afterwards, "because I have been in that same situation before, and it really makes you feel empty. But I'm sure he will be in this position again, and he'll win next time."

Greene still had a chance to salvage something from his final-round four-over 76 on the final hole, after a pulled drive, a second into a pot bunker at the back of the 18th, and a 22-foot putt pulled up four feet short.

Incredibly his putt then horseshoed out.

"It would have been nice to have seen that putt go in and I could have won it rather than Daniel lose it" Van de Berg said.

It was Van den Berg's first win on the Sunshine Tour since the 2007 Vodacom Business Origins of Golf event in Bloemfontein..

After his opening round 10-under 62 and his following seven-under 65 Greene was understandably angry at himself afterwards, .

But his second place has cemented his position as the Sunshine Tour's leading rookie, as well as made him a reputation as a tough customer.

For Van den Berg, it was a tough day which was redemption for two of the toughest years of his life: First he lost a baby, then his father to cancer and finally his European Tour card, and life seemed very dark.

"This year, my motivation's been up," he said. "I've been practicing hard and I've been able to start breathing again, and that makes a big difference emotionally.

"I was able to get out there and fight when things were a little tough," he added.

The day started with a fierce easterly wind ripping across Humewood, but that soon settled, and Van den Berg started chipping away at Greene's lead.

They each turned in two-over 37, and then Van den Berg turned the screws with birdies on 10 and 12.

They each birdied the 15th, and when Greene birdied the 16th where Van den Berg could only scramble a par from a fairway bunker, it all seemed set for Greene to win.

But then came the fatal 17th, and Van den Berg's experience helped him edge past Greene and go clear

Mike Green