“(On being exempt for The Open) Yeah, it's really exciting. I can't wait, and I’m really looking forward to it.

“It's just such a privilege playing here at Leopard Creek, definitely the best course in South Africa, maybe in Africa as well, but it's also special playing with all the other players around.”

Shutt was two shots to the good by the 7th tee, but a costly triple-bogey on the par-3 checked his momentum. Shutt kept up the chase with four birdies on the back nine, but he had left himself with too much to do, and his six-under-par total left him in second place.

A disappointed Shutt said, “A little bit of disappointment. I don't think I'm going to forget that triple on the 7th for a while. I think that's where I lost today. I'm very happy the way I fought back these last two days. I think I played very good golf. Apart from 7, I played really well the last two days and you never know. It could have gone another way if I had made par or even bogey. Anyways, it's golf, it happens.

“Well done to Bryan. I tried to make a late charge on him. I came in with some birdies but he managed to hold it together and he finished strong. Really well done to him.”

Craig was two-under for the day at the turn and threatening to rein in the leader but a bogey at the 10th and a double-bogey at the 11th ended his hopes. He gave it one last shot when he went for the green with his second shot at the 18th but found the water and could only finish with a bogey-six. Craig was later administered a two-shot penalty for brushing the sand in a bunker on his back swing at the 12th and finished at two-under-par for the championship.

South African Charl Barnard carded a one-over-par 73 to finish in fourth position on one-under-par.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Kruger National Park, the Africa Amateur Championship provides a world-class platform for the region’s rising talent to compete on the international stage.

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