Dylan Naidoo Wins South African Open in Playoff Victory

The final round of the South African Open was washed out after torrential rain finally took its toll.

After the tournament organisers finally gave in to the weather and decided that the course was unplayable, 54-hole leaders Dylan Naidoo and England’s Laurie Canter returned to the course for a playoff and home favourite Naidoo claimed a famous and highly emotional victory with a brilliant birdie.

The pair shared the lead on 14 under after both rounds two and three needed to be completed on Saturday, but the dreadful weather in Durban meant the fourth round was abandoned and the tournament went straight to a playoff at the 18th.

Naidoo, 27, played a glorious second shot that left him with a four-foot birdie putt, while Canter chipped beyond the pin. The Englishman, who won in Bahrain last month, saw his birdie putt race beyond the hole, but Naidoo held his nerve to claim a first DP World Tour victory. It also secured his place at July's Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

He said: "I was relaxed before my chip to the green, but there were nerves ahead of the birdie putt. Chipping is part of my DNA, I spend so many hours practicing it This is a special moment in my career. I am overwhelmed by the victory. Winning the South African Open feels like a dream."

Canter’s runner-up finish takes him inside the top 50 in the world rankings and means he is now eligible to take part in The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. He also tops the Race to Dubai and is a serious contender for Europe’s Ryder Cup team. 

Who is Dylan Naidoo?

Naidoo was born to parents Nalini and Neil Naidoo on February 21, 1998 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He began playing golf at an early age at around the same time his dad first picked up the game. He told the Sunshone Tour they were "learning golf together."

In sixth grade, he represented South Africa in mathematics at the Science Olympiad.

He attended the University of Arkansas for two years, where he studied business.

His first win in a professional tournament came as an amateur in 2016 on the Sunshine Big Easy Tour, when he became the youngest winner on the circuit at the Big Easy Observatory.

Naidoo turned professional in 2019. He is a member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, which is affiliated to the Sunshine Tour and provides golfers of colour more support.

In 2022, he won his first Sunshine Tour event at the SunBet Challenge Hosted by Sun Sibaya.

He matched the lowest score of the 2025 DP World Tour season with a 61 in the second round of the South African Open. Earlier in the season, he finished tied second at the Mauritius Open. Winning the South African Open takes him to sixth place in the Race to Dubai.

He loves visiting museums and is a fan of modern art.

He averages 296.5 yards from the tee, hits 57.14% of fairways and finds 66.67% of greens in regulation. He averages 29.50 putts per round, has a scoring average of 71.50 and averages 4.50 birdies per round.