Darren Clarke joint third

LOCAL HERO KINGSTON WINS SOUTH

AFRICAN OPEN FROM WILSON

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:
South African James Kingston completed an emotional victory at the South African Airways Open, holding off the challenge of England’s Oliver Wilson to lift his national open championship today.
Home favourite Kingston was eventually crowned champion after a rain-drenched final round at the Pearl Valley Golf Estate, Western Cape.
Play was suspended for nearly four hours earlier in the day after persistent rain overnight made the course unplayable.
When the players did get back Kingston managed to maintain his composure, shooting a final round 71 for an overall score of four under par 278 total, one ahead of Wilson.
Kingston, a professional for 20 years, had had numerous near-misses on The European Tour, but he was not to be denied as he savoured the greatest moment in his career.
“That was the toughest day I have ever had,” said Kingston. “I have had chances before and not made the most of those chances, but today, for once, I clinched it.
“I couldn’t have chosen a better tournament to win in the world than this one. This is the South African Open, my National Open.
“I have waited 20 years for this and that is a long time. I am so happy to have won such a prestigious title and join such an elite club.”
Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke adapted well in weather not dissimilar to Belfast, finishing two shots back on one under par after an excellent final-round 68 – one of the rounds of the day.
Three other players were tied with Clarke including South Africa's Garth Mulroy and Louis Oosthuizen as well as Welshman Kyron Sullivan.
Greg Norman capped an impressive week by finishing in tied seventh, level par for the championship, while defending champion Ernie Els also finished strongly with a final round 69, enough for joint 16th place.

Alan McLean was the highest-placed Scots finisher on six-over-par 294, one shot ahead of former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur. Peter Whiteford from Kirkcaldy closed with a 70 for 297. Euan Little from Portpatrick closed with a pair of disappointing 78s for 12-over 300. Craig Lee did not survive the halfway cut.

South African Open Championship
FINAL TOTALS
Pearl Valley, Western Cape.
Par 288 (4 x 72)
284 James Kingston (Rsa) 73 69 71 71
285 Oliver Wilson 76 69 67 73
287 Garth Mulroy (Rsa) 80 70 64 73, Kyron Sullivan 72 71 73 71, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 78 72 66 71, Darren Clarke 72 73 74 68
288 Robert Rock 70 75 71 72, Craig Lile (Rsa) 73 73 72 70, Nic Henning (Rsa) 74 71 70 73, Greg Norman (Aus) 75 70 72 71
289 Simon Dyson 75 76 71 67, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 72 71 73 73, Alan Michell (Rsa) 76 74 68 71
290 Garry Houston 76 73 68 73
292 Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 75 74 72 71
293 Joakim Backstrom (Swe) 76 74 71 72, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 74 74 70 75, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 71 76 71 75, Ernie Els (Rsa) 77 70 77 69, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 74 72 75 72
294 Hennie Otto (Rsa) 77 74 72 71, Magnus Carlsson (Swe) 76 73 74 71, Alan McLean 80 71 69 74, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 80 71 71 72, Miles Tunnicliff 77 74 69 74, Peter Lawrie 74 75 71 74, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 75 74 71 74
295 Ulrich Van Den Berg (Rsa) 71 73 71 80, Anton Haig (Rsa) 75 74 72 74, Gary Boyd 72 76 74 73, Andrew McArthur 72 74 75 74, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 80 73 72 70
296 Lee S James 76 75 73 72, Luis Claverie (Spa) 79 74 69 74, Joost Luiten (Ned) 82 67 75 72, David Frost (Rsa) 73 80 75 68
297 Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 76 75 78 68, Peter Whiteford 81 70 76 70, Warren Abery (Rsa) 76 74 71 76, Neil Schietekat (Rsa) 72 73 81 71
298 Paul Waring 73 76 73 76, David Dixon 76 75 73 74, Tim Clark (Rsa) 75 74 74 75
299 Michiel Bothma (Rsa) 85 68 73 73, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 79 71 73 76, Adilson Da Silva (Bra) 77 74 73 75, Jean Hugo (Rsa) 78 75 75 71, Keith Horne (Rsa) 77 75 74 73, George Coetzee (Rsa) 73 76 75 75
300 Alex Haindl (Rsa) 71 78 71 80, Richard Bland 76 77 77 70, Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 75 78 72 75, Brett Liddle (Rsa) 77 71 78 74, Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice) 79 73 75 73, Ryan Tipping (Rsa) 74 75 70 81, Euan Little 72 72 78 78
301 Mattias Eliasson (Swe) 79 73 72 77, Jaco Van Zyl (Rsa) 74 77 71 79, Marc Cayeux (Zim) 78 73 74 76
302 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 80 73 74 75, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 75 71 78 78, Sam Walker 80 73 76 73, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 79 72 75 76
303 Chris Williams (Rsa) 77 74 73 79
304 Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 79 74 74 77
305 Ross Wellington (Rsa) 76 72 76 81, Grant Muller (Rsa) 78 75 73 79
309 Lee Slattery 76 76 78 79
314 Steven Jeppesen (Swe) 74 78 75 87