Scott Dunlap's errors were insignificant as he swept to a five-stroke victory and the first prize of R316 000 in the Dimension Data Pro-Am at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City on Sunday, which is more than can be said for his caddie.

Dunlap was initially slapped with a two-shot penalty after his caddie, John McLaren, raked a greenside bunker on the 18th - which the American needed two shots to escape from - with Dunlap still in it.

That would have cut Dunlap's winning margin to three strokes. But after telephoning the Royal and Ancient, tournament director Theo Manyama removed the penalty because the ball was not in the area McLaren had raked. Dunlap therefore finished with a 72 for a total of 15-under par 273.

It was Dunlap's second win in South Africa following his 1995 South African Masters triumph at the neighbouring Lost City course, which was also used in the Dimension Data Pro-Am during the first two rounds along with the Gary Player.

South African Steve van Vuuren had eight birdies in his 67, which helped him finish second on 10-under par 278 to take home R230 000.

The day was one of heartbreak for Bruce Vaughan,who trailed Dunlap by a single stroke overnight. Nine dropped shots and four birdies saw him slump to a 77.

"I felt good the whole round," Dunlap said. "I made a good save at the first, getting up and down out of the bunker for par.

"As far as I'm concerned, that's better than starting your round with a birdie because you test yourself early on."

Of his brush with what turned out to be superbly efficient officialdom, Dunlap said: "I explained to the official that it was not a two-shot penalty because the ball was 10 yards away from where my caddie had raked the sand.

"At the end of the day, whether you win by three shots or five makes no difference, so I let it go. If it would've meant the difference between victory and defeat, then I might not have been so forgiving."

Five men tied for third on nine-under par 279 - American Bruce Vaughan and South Africans David Frost, Desvonde Botes, Bradford Vaughan and James Kingston. Defending champion Nick Price of Zimbabwe and Marco Gortana were next in line on eight-under 280.

"Nick owns this course, but he was not tearing it up," said Dunlap, referring to the Zimbabwean's three Million Dollar Challenge titles and two Dimension Data Pro-Am victories over this layout.

Italy's Emanuele Canonica, who astounded the field on the first day when he shot 63 on the Lost City course, had a 77 to finish on one-over par 289.

According to Louis Martin, chief executive of the Vodacom Tour, Canonica enjoyed his first visit to South Africa to such an extent that he requested an invitation to this week's South African Masters in Welkom.

"We considered his request and have decided to grant it," Martin said. "He's very happy here and will travel and stay with Marco Gortana."