Schaper chips in playoff eagle for back-to-back DPWT wins at Mauritius Open

Jayden Schaper sealed his second DP World Tour title in as many weeks with a stunning chip-in eagle on the second playoff hole at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, edging American Ryan Gerard at 22-under after both scorched La Réserve Golf Links with 64-64 and 63-66 closing rounds.

The 24-year-old South African, who started Sunday two back of Gerard and Casey Jarvis, ignited with back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth followed by a five-foot eagle putt at the fifth to grab a share of the lead, then reeled in Gerard with birdies at 11, 15, 16 and 18 to force extra holes. Gerard matched the final birdie with a brilliant up-and-down from trouble, but Schaper—fresh off victory at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and runner-up at Nedbank—clinched it when his chip from off the 18th green dropped for eagle, leaving Gerard without reply.

Schaper, lost for words after embracing his mother on the 18th green, called it “an insane way to finish” and promised a merry Christmas with family, capping a run of 2nd-1st-1st to dominate the Opening Swing. Gerard’s runner-up lifts him into the world top 50 for a Masters invitation despite the heartbreak, while Jarvis faded to third at 17-under with a 71, Andreas Halvorsen took fourth on a bogey-free 66, and Zander Lombard and defending champion John Parry shared fifth at 15-under after Lombard’s course-record 62.

Shubhankar Sharma mixed four birdies, an eagle and a closing birdie at the 18th with five bogeys—including a momentum-killing par-5 stumble at 15 and a double at the seventh—for a 3-under 69 and 5-under total, settling for tied 32nd. The Indian said his game feels “slowly falling into place” despite tee-to-green woes, even as he eyes Gulf Swing starts like the Hero Dubai Desert Classic after regaining his card at Q-School.

Photo – DPWT