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Monday, December 16, 2024

Veteran Shaun Norris outlasts the field to win Alfred Dunhill Championship. Final results

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Championship Results

Home favourite Shaun Norris claimed his second DP World Tour title in style after coming from way back to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship by a single shot.

    Shaun Norris-2190069157

    The 42-year-old South African began the final round six shots off the lead but fired a stunning 67 on Sunday to set the clubhouse target at -13.

    With many players in the final groups still in contention, it was not clear whether Norris' total would be enough to earn him the trophy.

    But Leopard Creek Country Club's difficult closing stretch picked off the chasing pack one by one until only countryman Ryan van Velzen had a realistic chance of denying Norris at least a play-off.

    Van Velzen was locked alongside Norris at the summit as he stood at the 18th tee but after he put his approach shot into the water, the 23-year-old was unable to save par and Norris clinched the title.

    Third-round leader Marcus Kinhult 74, Van Velzen 72 and England's John Parry 69 finished in a three-way tie for second, one shot behind Norris on -12.

    Norris got off to a flying start, holing his enormous putt from just off the second green for an excellent eagle.

    A birdie followed at the sixth but he would surrender a double bogey on the par-three seventh after finding the water there.

    He bounced straight back with a birdie at the eighth before rolling in his downhill birdie putt on the 11th.

    A six-foot birdie at the long 13th then took him to -12 and within one shot of the lead.

    And he grabbed a share of the lead on -13 with a ten-foot putt for birdie at the 15th.

    But he saved his best until the final hole, as his tricky third shot from a fairway bunker avoided danger and allowed him to two-putt for par.

    After Van Velzen's bogey on the last, an emotional Norris was left to celebrate his return to the winner's circle just two weeks after he won the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup in Japan and 20 years after his debut on the DP World Tour.

    Norris said: "I'm very happy that it worked out this way.

    "Words can't describe (winning a second DP World Tour title). This last year has been very tough. It's been up and down and all over the place. But thanks to God, my family, my wife. We've kept it together.

    "Winning two weeks ago in Japan and then winning this week - what a blessing."

    "This title means everything to me.

    "To win here at Leopard Creek, which is always in spectacular condition and where we’ve had such good champions such as Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen - to now put my name on this trophy is a blessing.

    "This changes a few things for me. I’ve got so much to look forward to over the next few years.

    "But now it’s time for a holiday."

    europeantour.com

    Bryan Angus

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