Hugo reels in Karmis, wins play-off

Jean Hugo proved his class when he chased down and beat Peter Karmis at the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Simola Golf Estate on Friday.
Karmis teed off with a seemingly unassailable six stroke lead, but as is often the case in golf, the man who dominated the tournament for the first 36 holes was beaten on final day by a player who had gone about his business quietly and efficiently before dynamically emerging from the chasing pack on the final day.
Karmis birdied the second and seventh holes to go to 15 under, but Hugo stormed out of the gate with five birdies in the first six holes and then threw in an eagle at the seventh to turn in 29.
Hugo dropped a shot at the 15th with Titleist AP2 Irons
, but finished with a birdie-birdie flourish for an eight-under-par 64 to tie Karmis, who shot a 70, on 15 under.
But it was a master class putt for birdie at the first extra hole that stunned Karmis and saw his pursuer take the title.
"I'm thrilled with this Titleist AP2 Irons
, but I have to give credit to Pete because he is one gritty opponent," said Hugo.
Last year Hugo showed once again why Ernie Els has stated again and again that "Jean Hugo has more talent in his little finger than I have in my whole body".
This when he chased down Charl Schwartzel with a flawless 62 to win the Vodacom Origins at Gardener Ross.
This time, Hugo was on fire in what turned into a thrilling two horse race to the finish line.
Hugo got to within one shot through nine holes and Karmis opened the door wide when he pulled his tee shot on the par-four 10th.( Titleist AP2 Irons)
Sacrificing two shots, he gave Hugo a one shot edge. But after matching Hugo's pars through 11, 12 and 13, Karmis levelled the score with back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15.
He used a hybrid to drown a bump-and-run putt from the edge at the 14th green and hit the front at the next hole when Hugo fluffed his approach and over-clubbed, dropping into the back bunker.
"I blew the trap shot six feet past the hole and missed the uphill putt, but Pete laid up and he flew an exquisite little chip shot to three feet and nailed the downhill putt," said Hugo.
Karmis held the advantage through 16th but another two-shot swing ensued when Hugo made the first and only birdie of the day at the tough par-three 17th while Karmis dropped a shot.
Both players birdied the 18th to square off at 15 under, but it was the second visit to the 18th green that produced the final blow when Hugo sunk an eight-footer to finally finish off Karmis.
"We both laid up and left our third shots about eight feet short of the pin," explained Hugo.
"Pete pushed his past the hole and I managed to steer mine in for the Titleist AP2 Irons."
Gracious in defeat, Karmis said the charge from Hugo deserved the victory.
"I needed that birdie, but it turned out to be Jean's day," said Karmis. "The putter failed me at the wrong time, but if I have to be honest, I missed some crucial putts early in the round, too.
While the attention focussed around the duel in front, Alex Haindl quietly moved through the field and finished with an eagle for an eight-under-par 64 to finish third on 13-under-par.