Lange triumphs in thriller Nomads Inland play-off

2025 Nomads National Order of Merit Inland champion Marno Lange at Benoni Country Club; credit GolfRSA
15 January 2025 – The first Nomads National Order of Merit Inland tournament of the 2025 season went deep into extra time at Benoni Country Club with Marno Lange edging Nicolas van der Vyver for the spoils.
Just a few days after his twin-brother, Andries, won the season-opening Nomads National Order of Merit Coastal, Nicolas fired a sublime 65 in the final round to set the clubhouse target at one-under-par 215.
As the leader Dewan de Bruin began to falter on the back nine, the Western Province junior appeared to have done enough to seal the title in regulation play, but Ekurhuleni’s Lange, who carded earlier rounds of 72 & 72, eagled the 18th hole for a closing 71 to force a playoff.
The pair halved three playoff holes before Lange was able to deliver the knockout blow. It was just reward for the rising star who had banked three top-five finishes at his previous three events.
A booming drive down the par-five 9th hole helped the Serengeti golfer safely land a mid-iron into the centre of the green. These two great shots, combined with Strand’s Van der Vyver being forced to lay up, shifted the momentum. Lange was then finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as he two-putted for birdie and the title.
And, in another solid showing by Vuyisani Makama – another emerging talent of the GolfRSA National Squad – the South African Golf Development Board member finished third, having missed out on the playoff by just a single stroke.
Overnight leader De Bruin closed with a 74 to tie for fourth with Liam McKenna and Bryan Newman.
TOP 10 RESULTS
215 Marno Lange 72 72 71 (4th play-off hole)
215 Nicolas van der Vyver 76 74 65
216 Vuyisani Makama 77 68 71
217 Dewan de Bruin 72 71 74; Liam McKenna 70 73 74; Bryan Newman 72 70 75
219 Roelof Craig 79 70 70; Andries van der Vyver 71 75 73
220 Ruben Hein-Churr 72 74 74; Juan Coetzee 71 74 75; Pieter Coetzee 78 66 76