Liam Nolan can’t wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds after his winter work paid off to the tune of €25,000 with a brilliant third-place finish in the SDC Championship in South Africa.

Playing on an invitation in his first HotelPlanner Tour start of the season, the Galway rookie (24) went into the final round eight shots behind South Africa’s Altin van der Merwe on 10-under par at Zebula Golf Estate & Spa in Limpopo.

Scores

But birdies at the second, sixth and ninth saw him turn for home in three-under to cut the gap to just five shots and he went on to card a five-under 67 to finish just a shot outside a playoff that saw Daniel Van Tonder (33) deny compatriot Van der Merwe (28) his first win with a par-five at the first tie hole.

“It's amazing,” said Nolan, whose top-five finish earned him a spot in this week’s MyGolfLife Open hosted by Pecanwood Estate, meaning he doesn’t have to use another invitation.

“It verifies a lot of what I was working on over the winter, both technically and mentally has paid off with a really good performance.

“So I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of the year has in store and especially the trips here in South Africa.”

Winner of last year’s Brabazon Trophy at Sunningdale, Nolan moved into solo second with his fourth birdie of the day at the 12th and while he bogeyed the 13th, he eagled the par-five 15th with a long-range putt to close to within a shot of Van der Merwe, then made a big par save at the 16th to remain in touch.

“I knew the main goal today was to again hit the fairways and I think this was my best driving day of the week by a long way and I put myself in a really good position,” said Nolan, who has an Alps Tour card but is trying to earn HotelPlanner Tour (former known as the Challenge Tour) status on invitations.

“Then I executed pretty much every shot how I wanted to coming in with a few like big putts — big putt for eagle on 15 and a big save on 16. So that just kept me in the hunt. And I'm really proud of how I performed.”

He closed with a par five to shoot 67 and set the clubhouse target at 15-under but Van Tonder, who was playing in the penultimate group, birdied the last four holes and five of the last seven to shoot 67 and draw level with Van der Merwe on 16-under.

The overnight leader looked to be cruising to victory after birdies at two of his first six holes before he double-bogeyed the seventh and bogeyed the 13th and 17th to go to the last needing a birdie to win.

He could only make par for a 74 and then finished a miserable day by making a double bogey seven to Van Tonder’s par on their return to the 18th in sudden-death.

Nolan felt he was “back in the race” with his eagle at the 15th and while he just missed out on a playoff, he was thrilled to make his first cheque on the Challenge Tour.

“Very, very pleased with it,” Nolan said of a week that yielded two eagles, 15 birdies and just four bogeys. “I knew the main goal today was to again hit the fairway and I think this was my best driving day of the week by a long way and I put myself in a really good position.

“Then I executed pretty much every shot how I wanted to coming in with a few like big putts. Big putt for eagle on 15 and a big save on 16. So that just kept me in the hunt. I'm really proud of how I performed.

“I mean, it's everything. That's why you come to come to tournaments; to try and go and win, and we'll see how it unfolds. But I'm very, very happy with my performance this week.”

Nolan will be joined at Pecanwood Golf & Country Club by Royal Dublin’s Max Kennedy, Castle’s Robert Moran, Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy and Clandeboye’s Jonathan Caldwell.

Van Tonder’s playoff win saw him reclaim his number one position on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy.

He went into the final round seven shots adrift of leader Altin van der Merwe, who was hunting his first victory on the Tour.

“It’s amazing. I’ve been doing this for a while now and I like to chase a few scores now and then. I was just determined to give myself chances, put a bit of pressure on and then wait and see,” said Van Tonder after his third victory of the season and his third playoff win. “I’ve always enjoyed playoffs. I’ve won a couple, and it’s fun.”

It was Van Tonder’s 12th victory as a professional, and his first since becoming a father.

“I’m going to finish off the Sunshine Tour season and I want to win the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy, and see where that takes me,” he said. “I’m finally number one again and I want to extend that lead even more.”

With a career that now stretches into double figures in terms of victories, including the South African Open, Van Tonder has now definitely played his way into a different sphere of Sunshine Tour status.

“It feels great. I work hard and don’t like taking off days. I’ve never had a coach and everything I do is self-taught. Whatever feels right I try and do.”