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Family affair as Norris claims maiden DP World Tour win
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Family affair as Norris claims maiden DP World Tour win

Home favourite Shaun Norris claimed his first DP World Tour title in dramatic fashion after producing a tremendous fightback in a final-round battle with Dean Burmester to win the 2022 Steyn City Championship by three shots.

Norris

The 39-year-old began the day with a four-shot lead but was overtaken at the summit by a charging Burmester after just seven holes as he made a slow start.

Fellow South African Burmester had extended his advantage to two strokes by the tenth hole but Norris then sprang to life, carding three birdies in his next six holes to grab a share of the lead.

And the thrilling contest swung Norris' way at the 17th as he made another birdie and watched Burmester run up a double bogey, handing Norris a three-shot lead heading to the 18th tee.

And Norris, who had his brother on the bag this week, safely parred the last to sign for a closing 70, finish the week on 25 under par and claim his tenth win worldwide surrounded by his family.

Burmester finished alone in second place on 22 under, three shots clear of Oliver Bekker and Matti Schmid in a tie for third.

Norris went into Sunday's final round four shots clear of his nearest challenger but saw his lead cut early on as he made bogeys at the second and fourth to fall back to 21 under.

Burmester then closed the gap to one stroke with a birdie at the sixth, as Norris' slow start continued.

The turning point came at the par-four seventh, where Burmester holed his second shot from a tricky spot to the right of the green for an unexpected eagle to catapult himself into the lead.

A strong par save at the eighth followed for Burmester before he parred the ninth to head to the turn with a one-shot advantage.

After finding the tenth green in two blows, Burmester tapped in his birdie putt to move two clear, as Norris made a sixth successive par.

Burmester then drove the green at the par-four 11th before carding a two-putt birdie to make it two in a row, with Norris finally opening his birdie account at the same hole.

A two-shot swing looked to be a possibility at the short 14th as Norris sent his tee shot to within a few feet of the cup and Burmester missed the green.

But Burmester was able to limit the damage with a fine par save, as Norris tapped in to return to 23 under - which is where he began the day - and close the gap to a single shot.

Norris then made his third birdie of the day at the 16th to join Burmester at the summit on 24 under.

There was a three-shot swing at the 17th as Norris made a magnificent birdie and Burmester carded a double-bogey six.

And Norris was able to enjoy his victory on the 18th, sharing the moment with family on the green.

An emotional Norris, who was joined by his three-week-old baby daughter Riley-Grace, said: "I don't think words can describe how I feel right now.

"It's been a tough journey and having my brother on the bag, my wife here, my little girl - it's splendid, I can't explain.

"It's absolutely beautiful doing this in front of my home crowd and in front of my family.

"From the word go I told my brother 'let's have fun, let's actually try and feel like we're playing back home'.

"In the first two rounds it definitely went that way, in the third round similar. Unfortunately today we didn't start so well but we finished nicely so I can't complain."