Retief Goosen three-putts 18th

but wins Africa Open by a shot

South African Retief Goosen could afford to bogey the 72nd hole with three putts and still win the Africa Open by one shot at East London Golf Club today.
Goosen, pictured above, signed off with a 65 for 21-under-par 267.
Goosen has had putting problems in recent months but he putted economically under pressure to hold off the fast-finishing young South African Branden Grace, Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey and Darren Clarke and another South African, Darren Fichardt.
Goosen birdied four of the opening nine holes to put the pressure on overnight leaders James Kingston and Clarke. Kingston had a triple bogey at the 14th to crash out of contention.
Clarke's challenge faltered with a bogey 5 at the ninth and he overshot the green at the 18th with his approach. He finished with a 70 for 268.
Grace, 21, started the day at 13-under-par and four birdies and a bogey on the outward nine gave notice of his intentions.
Four more birdies on the inward stretch, and he was suddenly in a four-way tie for second. “I thought I would just go out as hard as I could, but it really was a bit much to make up,” said Grace who is on the brink of a maiden victory.
Fichardt got the last of three birdies in his round on the 11th, and the rest of his round was spent trying desperately to find just one more. He came close on many occasions, finally on the 18th as his chip from the back of the green slid by the hole and left him a tap-in for par.
Behind them, the challenge of the big Argentinean Angel Cabrera dissipated in an opening flurry of three consecutive bogeys.
He appeared to get his round back on the rails with a birdie at the sixth, but another run of three bogeys from eight to 10 sank him and he was a grumpy man when he finally holed out on the 18th. Not even five birdies in the final eight holes for a 72 and 274 could lighten the mood.
Goosen looks set fair for the year ahead: “This year, I feel I am a little more prepared for the game than over the last couple of years” he said.
“I have been working hard on my fitness and everything,” he added. “I’m probably the fittest now that I’ve been in the last five years. I’m looking forward the season ahead.”
FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4 x 72)

Players from South Africa unless stated

267 Retief Goosen 66 70 66 65.

268 Branden Grace 69 68 66 65, Michael Hoey (NIr) 68 68 66 66, Darren Fichardt 65 68 67 68, Darren Clarke (NIr) 67 65 66 70.

271 James Kington 66 67 65 73.

273 Mark Murless 71 68 69 64.

273 Richard Sterne 72 67 61 73.

274 Ulrich Van den Berg 70 67 67 70, Charl Schwartzel 65 73 75 71, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 62 68 72 72.

275 Graham De Laet (Can) 63 74 64 74.

Selected scores:

282 Alan McLean (Sco) 68 71 72 71 (jt 31st).

286 Steve Lewton (Eng) 69 68 67 82 (jt 52nd).