Frenchman Ugo Coussaud (photo) only needed one shot to push Zimbabwean Benjamin Follet-Smith into the play-off of the first tournament of the Challenge Tour season in South Africa.
Author of the best weekend of the 76 players qualified for the last two rounds, Ugo Coussaud (65/66) has long held first place at the clubhouse of the Royal Cape Golf Club.
Unfortunately, Olivier Léglise’s pupil was going too far, in particular because of a 2nd lap completed in 74 Friday in Cape Town. It was finally the Zimbabwean Follet-Smith who managed to dislodge him from the head in the dying moments.
The Angoumoisin, who did not go far from climbing on the DP World Tour at the end of last season, must therefore be satisfied with second place.
An almost perfect result after a long off-season which ideally launches the season of adopted Biarrot.
Another tricolor to have distinguished himself on Sunday in Cape Town, Auxerrois Clément Bérardo, also author of a card of 66 like Coussaud, with the key to a record return in 30 and a place at the foot of the top 20.
Felix Mory, Mathieu Decottignies-Lafon and Victor Riu finish further in that order.
Pierre Pineau and Robin Roussel had not made the cut. They will have the opportunity to relaunch on Thursday alongside George on the magnificent Fancourt course in the second of four early season events co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour.
Author of a perfect weekend, Ugo Coussaud started the Challenge Tour season perfectly with a second place in South Africa. A good omen for the rest of the season.
Ugo Coussaud, statements
“I’m super happy with second place, super happy with my weekend where I played very fair and with just one bogey. -13 over two days is very solid. I love Cape Town, it’s a great city where I feel good even though I had never really performed on the course. There is often a lot of wind and this time I managed to get out of it correctly. There were fewer this weekend, not at all on Saturday so it was easier to play. This morning I left a little before the last games, we didn’t have too much wind for 5-6 holes. I took the opportunity to get a little ahead by being very solid at putting, chipping and wedging. It’s nice to feel a little tension at the end. It makes you want to go for this first victory, I was not far for this first tournament of the year so I am very happy. We will try to continue on this rhythm for the next three weeks in South Africa I took advantage of Christmas and New Year’s Day, I did a little weight training but not much. From January 3, I went to Morocco to Samanah with the whole Team ST-Laurent for 20 days. I also played the Coupe de France there. I returned to France for 5 days before leaving for South Africa”.
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