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Kristoffer Reitan completes wire-to-wire victory at Sun City

Kristoffer Reitan holds the trophy aloft in Sun City, South Africa
Kristoffer Reitan holds the trophy aloft in Sun City, South Africa

Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan led through all four rounds to win the DP World Tour's Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City on Sunday but had to hold on for a narrow and nervy victory.

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Reitan had a five-stroke lead heading into the final round, but hit four bogeys in a round of 72 and scraped through to win with a 17-under-par total, one shot ahead of Englishman Dan Bradbury and South African Jayden Schaper.

Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin signed off with a level-par 72 that left him on six-under overall, in a tie for 16th.

It was a second victory on the European circuit for the 27-year-old Reitan (who turned professional in 2018) after claiming a play-off win in Belgium's Soudal Open in May.

The Norwegian mixed four birdies with three bogeys on the front nine to hold a four-shot lead at the turn, but as he parred the first five holes of the back nine, Schaper and Bradbury closed the gap to two shots.

Reitan was then under much pressure when he bogeyed the 15th but made par on the last three holes to hold off the chasing pair and win the tournament dubbed 'Africa's Major'.

"Nerves were brutal for me today. I was nervous the whole round, but I felt I dealt with it in a decent manner near the end," said the winner.

"It is a difficult golf course, and if you drop in quality, you struggle, but I'm pleased with the way I hung in there."

Bradbury hit six birdies in a blemish-free 66, while 24-year-old Schaper shot a 68 as they chased down the leader to finish second.

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