[Photo: Sunshine Tour]
Sydney’s Austin Bautista has claimed a second win on South Africa’s Sunshine Tour with a stirring come-from-behind performance at the FNB Eswatini Challenge.
Two strokes behind at the start of the final round at the Ezulweni Golf & Country Club in South Africa’s north-east, Bautista closed with a five-under 67 to win at 17-under-par, with the South African duo of Herman Loubser (67) and Dylan Mostert (67) and Frenchman Benjamin Kedochim (71) sharing second place at 15-under par.
A three-time winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia – 2022 NT PGA, 2023 Webex Players Series SA, 2025 WA PGA – Bautista has now won twice on the Sunshine Tour to go with a victory on the secondary Betway Big Easy Tour.
“I am absolutely stoked to have won this golf tournament,” an elated Bautista said after lifting the trophy.
“I said going into the week that this golf course suits me really well – little fades off the tee, hitting wedges close and making putts, it suits me perfectly. I am really happy to have won and am looking forward to coming back next year.”
The 29-year-old started the final round two shots off the lead and opened with a bogey on the first hole. But a run of six birdies over the next 11 holes gave him a lead which he managed to hold despite making two bogeys over the closing holes.
With his second Sunshine Tour title now secured, Bautista moved from fifth on The Courier Guy Order of Merit into the second place, behind this season’s current leader Samuel Simpson.
In his second season on the Sunshine Tour, Bautista followed up his maiden win at the Sunbet Challenge with six top-10 finishes, three of them being runners-up.
This week, Bautista will defend his Sunbet Challenge title at Wild Coast Sun Country Club, south of Durban.
