I'm watching this tape delayed on the Golf Channel right now ( they have a nasty habit of televising it as if it's live), but Charl Schwartzel has successfully defended his title at the Joburg Open.. They started the day in driving rain and have finished in the sunshine, with Schwartzel making birdie on his 72nd to finish in style..
He has now been 1st, 2nd ,2nd and 4th in this South African swing.. !!
(Here's an AP report)
AP : Charl Schwartzel successfully defended his Joburg Open title on Sunday, birdieing the last hole for a 4-under 67 that gave him a four-stroke victory.
The South African finished at 19-under 265, overcoming a midround wobble at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. Overnight co-leader and compatriot Garth Mulroy shot a 71 to finish second in the last of four events on the European Tour's season-opening South African swing.
Thomas Aiken, also of South Africa, had a 72 and was another shot back in third. England's Jamie Elson was another stroke back in fourth, one shot ahead of Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, who was alone in fifth.
The top five players all qualified for next week's $2.7 million Abu Dhabi Golf Championship
Schwartzel said afterward..
I got my nose ahead, but coming into nine I hit it slightly too hard and over the back," Schwartzel said. "It was a bad bogey for me and things started to get shaky from there. I had to really dig deep out there on the back nine.
"My putting and short game came to my rescue and that's what you need to do to win tournaments."
I thought the par 4 11th was the turning point with Charl in trouble off the tee, he had to lay up. Both Aiken and Mulroy were a shot behind and they hit great drives, but both attacked a very well tucked pin and both came up short in the deep wet rough. They both made bogey, while Charl stuffed a wedge to 4 feet and made par, a 2 shot swing.
Bryan Angus
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