Coetzee’s goal was to get back into top 100
SOUTH Africa’s George Coetzee banked R3million with his win at the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura, Portugal, on Sunday.
Coetzee carded a final round 5-under 66 to win by two on 16-under for the week from England’s Laurie Canter.
His first place cheque of €156 825 works out to a hefty payday of R3 099 355, and will mean a move back inside the top 100 to 85th in the world after entering the week 147th. He also moves to 25th in the Race to Dubai (season-long money list), up from 72nd before the event.
“That was the goal. I can’t even remember the last time I was in the top 100 in the world, I’ve been hanging around 150 for the last four years. I’ve been playing well this year and had a lot of top 10s. I felt like if I kept playing the way I was I’d get there soon, but it was nice to get the win and skip a couple of steps,” Coetzee said.
It was the 34-year-old’s fifth European Tour title, but his first in Europe itself.
“I have always had a list of things I wanted to achieve in my career as a
golfer and originally I never thought I would get as far as winning on the European Tour,” said Coetzee.
“So ticking that box a while back was really nice, and then I started to realise that I was a bit comfortable playing back home and I needed to go to the next step and win away from home. And then I won in Mauritius, which still counts as a Sunshine Tour event, so I still felt like I needed to get off my continent and win something else. So I am just happy that I kind of ticked the box in the right order.
“I remember as an amateur I had to win a national strokeplay event and then try and win one of the big three national matchplay events. I ended up winning the South African amateur matchplay before I won the strokeplay event, and I felt like I needed to take a step back and figure out how to win a strokeplay event.”
It was Coetzee’s second win in as many weeks, after claiming victory at the Titleist Championship at Pretoria Country Club on the Sunshine Tour on 4 September.
Heading to Portugal to play in the Portugal Masters was always the plan said Coetzee.
“There’s a reason I picked this event, because I always play well here. Last week I was really comfortable, this week I wasn’t. I think those are the kind of steps you have to take. Winning ugly I guess you can say – when you’re not in your comfort zone.”