“Many more wins to come” - Thriston Lawrence celebrates special SA Open win

South African golfer Thriston Lawrence showed nerves of steel to seal his third DP World Tour title on Sunday, December 4.

Lawrence had a five-shot lead in the finale, and on the last hole, he was one stroke ahead of Clement Sordet. He carded a two-over 74 to get over the line by one stroke and finally registered a win in a do-or-die match.

Thriston believes his experience played a vital role in his success. Speaking to the media in Lanseria, Lawrence said:

"Inside, not always. I think it comes with experience, once you're in situations like this, you get older in that sense."

Although this isn't the first time Lawrence has had a dramatic win, his patience helped clinch the trophy.

Thriston Lawrence explained that winning in a dire situation requires experience and a stable mindset. He went on to say:

"It's big mentally; you try to tell yourself to think of the present and not of the past. It took me a long time. I was a bit aggressive when I was younger, it takes time to get my mentality to where it is at the moment. "

The Nelspruit resident is over the moon after winning the championship and is excited about the upcoming tournaments. He said:

"Hopefully, many more wins to come, but what helped me to get three victories is to keep everything the same. You know, keep the management, practice and all the routines the same and. That's what helped me a lot this year."

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"Unbelievable. It's a dream come true for me" - Thriston Lawrence

Lawrence turned professional in 2014 and has been playing on the European and Sunshine tours. He had previously been a part of the Challenge Tour, the MENA Tour, and the Big Easy Tour.

Thriston won the MENA Tour Order of Merit in 2015 and then played on the Big Easy Tour in 2018. He gained the Sunshine Tour card in 2019 and won his first event at the Vodacom Origins Golf in Stellenbosch.

His biggest career victory came in 2021, when Thriston Lawrence won the Joburg Open after defeating Zander Lombard by four shots, hitting two rounds of 65.

Lawrence won the Omega European Masters in August 2022 and was named Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year for the 2022 European Tour season.

He has now won the Investec South African Open and is preparing for the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Lawrence won €242,179 in prize money and climbed up in the world golf rankings.

In his interview, Thriston Lawrence said:

"Unbelievable. It's a dream come true for me. This is the one you want to win--your national open."

He further added to the statement:

"It was so special to have Gary Player watching as well. He's won 13 of these, and now I've got one as well. It's what you dream of. This means everything to me. This is by far my best victory ever."

It is pertinent to note that Thriston Lawrence has won seven professional tours, including three European tours, three Sunshine tours, and three other championships. However, he is yet to clinch a major championship.