HENNIE OTTO WINS BY FOUR SHOTS ON S AFRICA'S SUNSHINE TOUR
FROM THE SOUTH AFRICA PGA SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
His approach shot to the 18th on the Montagu course at Fancourt on today typified the golf that Hennie Otto played on his way to a four-stroke victory in the R3.2-million Dimension Data Pro-Am.
He deposited a wedge just a foot from the flag for a tap-in birdie to complete a dominating performance which gave him a comfortable margin over second-placed James Kingston.
“I was hitting those kinds of shots well all week,” he said, “and my putting also started coming right after I went back to my old putter.”
For Otto, it was a 10th title on the Sunshine Tour, and his first since his 28-under-par tour-de-force at last February’s Vodacom Championship.
“It was a bit of a quiet patch after that,” he said, “but I have been working hard all the time and I’m starting to reap the fruit of that.”
Overnight leader George Coetzee stayed right in contention with battling golf through 12 holes – he made one bogey and a birdie – until a bogey on 13 took the fight out of his game, and the deflation was compounded with another bogey on 16.
“George made a few mistakes,” said Otto, “and I took advantage of that, and that helped as well – it was a game of patience.”
Coetzee eventually finished alone in third place after his 74, with Kingston matching Otto’s four-under 68 to take his second runner-up finish in two weeks after his second-place in Dubai last week on the European Tour.
Otto had a bogey on each nine, but two birdies on his way out and four more on his way home more than made up for those slip-ups.
And, for Otto, more than the R475,500 first prize, the exemption into the $8.5-million World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in August is something to be prized.
“It means a lot for players like me who are on the European Tour too,” said Otto. “Because it counts for the Race to Dubai, it’s quite important. I have been there four or five times before, and I’m looking forward to going over again this year. I hope I can have a good one this year.”
The victory gave him a substantial leg-up on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, lifting him into sixth place just behind Kingston.
TO READ ALL THE TOTALS ON THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
CLICK HERE
His approach shot to the 18th on the Montagu course at Fancourt on today typified the golf that Hennie Otto played on his way to a four-stroke victory in the R3.2-million Dimension Data Pro-Am.
He deposited a wedge just a foot from the flag for a tap-in birdie to complete a dominating performance which gave him a comfortable margin over second-placed James Kingston.
“I was hitting those kinds of shots well all week,” he said, “and my putting also started coming right after I went back to my old putter.”
For Otto, it was a 10th title on the Sunshine Tour, and his first since his 28-under-par tour-de-force at last February’s Vodacom Championship.
“It was a bit of a quiet patch after that,” he said, “but I have been working hard all the time and I’m starting to reap the fruit of that.”
Overnight leader George Coetzee stayed right in contention with battling golf through 12 holes – he made one bogey and a birdie – until a bogey on 13 took the fight out of his game, and the deflation was compounded with another bogey on 16.
“George made a few mistakes,” said Otto, “and I took advantage of that, and that helped as well – it was a game of patience.”
Coetzee eventually finished alone in third place after his 74, with Kingston matching Otto’s four-under 68 to take his second runner-up finish in two weeks after his second-place in Dubai last week on the European Tour.
Otto had a bogey on each nine, but two birdies on his way out and four more on his way home more than made up for those slip-ups.
And, for Otto, more than the R475,500 first prize, the exemption into the $8.5-million World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in August is something to be prized.
“It means a lot for players like me who are on the European Tour too,” said Otto. “Because it counts for the Race to Dubai, it’s quite important. I have been there four or five times before, and I’m looking forward to going over again this year. I hope I can have a good one this year.”
The victory gave him a substantial leg-up on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, lifting him into sixth place just behind Kingston.
TO READ ALL THE TOTALS ON THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
CLICK HERE
Labels: PRO GOLF
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, February 20, 2011
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