adminJOHANNESBURG. — Charl Schwartzel produced a masterclass of consistent golf to win his second consecutive Alfred Dunhill championship on Sunday as he held off Englishman Richard Finch by four strokes. The Johannesburg native did not record a bogey over the final three rounds as he followed up on his 12 shot victory on the Leopard Creek par-72 layout last year with another strong showing on home soil.
It is his third victory at Malalane in Mpumalanga after defeating England’s Neil Cheetham in a playoff in 2004.
The tournament also marked the second tournament in the 2014 Road to Dubai.
His final score of 17 under was too good for Finch and the rest of the field although the 36-year-old from Hull will take heart from his best result of the year that will certainly improve his initial ranking of 441st in the world.
“I had a bit of a hiccup during my first round at the 17th but after that I played almost flawless golf with no bogeys,” said the champion.
“If you play some 60 holes without making a bogey, then hopefully you’re going to win.
“I’ve been putting well all week and I thought a 67 or 68 would be good enough today so I’m very pleased.”
Finch had drawn level on the third hole of the final round with two birdies, but Schwartzel refused to budge and hit back with three birdies on the front nine before the Englishman creaked under the pressure.
A bogey at the par-four 11th followed by a double bogey on 14 was his undoing as the South African completed his third bogey free round in succession and racked up 20 birdies in 72 holes.
Fellow Englishman Simon Dyson carded a final round 67 to share third place with compatriot Ross Fischer and Frenchman Romain Wattel on 10 under, while Dane Soren Hansen was one shot further back in sixth. — AFP.
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