A final round 66 saw Cayeux beat off the challenge of fellow Zimbabwean Mark McNulty,
a four-time winner of this event. McNulty finished second on 19-under-par 269
after a 66, while Nic Henning's 67 placed him third on 18-under. Cayeux's victory
earns him a place on an illustrious list of past Royal Swazi Sun Open champions,
which includes Ernie Els of South Africa and Americans John Daly and Omar Uresti.
It also justifies his decision to leave school at the age of 14 and pursue a career
as a professional golfer. "Everytime I win I prove them wrong," said Cayeux.
The quiet-spoken Chapman
Golf Club professional started an overcast final round as joint leader with Andre
Cruse on 16-under. An outward nine of 31 took Cayeux five clear of the field before
his first drop at the par-four 11th after a "shocking" tee shot into the right
rough. A further three birdies had him back on track coming down the 17th fairway.
But an ill-timed
on-course television interview led to Cayeux's third landing in the water guarding
the front edge of the par-five's green, with him eventually needing to sink a
three metre putt for bogey. "That interview really put me off. I lost my concentration,"
said Cayeux, well aware of McNulty's challenge on 19-under playing the last. "I
always knew Mark would be there in the end. If I double-bogeyed 17 and he birdied
18, I would've been only one shot clear playing the last. So I knew I had to sink
that putt, and did."
Marc plays the tour with his older brother Glenn, 22, and the two have an agreement
whereby they share all their prizemoney. "Glenn congratulated me on the 18th green
and I told him, 'Half of this is yours'. I know he would do the same for me,"
explained Marc.
The victory saw Cayeux finish eighth on the 1998-99 Vodacom Tour's Order of Merit.
South African Open champion David Frost finished first, with American Scott Dunlap
behind him.
