SOUTH AFRICAN VAN DER WALT WINS NELSON MANDELA CHAMPIONSHIP

Perhaps it was written in the stars that a South African would win this year's Nelson Mandela Championship, the day before the funeral of the former President who passed away last week at the age of 95. 

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Dawie van der Walt admitted to feeling overwhelmed as he held his nerve down the closing stretch to win a second European Tour title.
The 30 year old South African shot a closing four-under-par 66 for a 15-under aggregate of 195 at Mount Edgecombe to run out a two shot winner over Matthew Baldwin (68 for 197) and Jorge Campillo (also 68 for 197) in a weather-hit tournament that was reduced to 54 holes so that it did not interfere with the funeral arrangements by spilling over into Sunday.

“It’s obviously really special, making you a part of history,” said van der Walt.
“Winning The Nelson Mandela at this time, when it’s sad for everyone, everyone is mourning and tomorrow’s the big day, it means a lot and it’s something I can keep close to my heart for ever.”
Van der Walt won his first European Tour event, also on home soil, at March’s Tshwane Open, but had made only one cut since after suffering injury problems and a loss of form.
However, once he claimed the outright lead with an eagle from 30 feet at the 12th, the World No. 337 never looked like relinquishing the €158,500 winner’s cheque.
“I haven’t been in that good form, I’ve been struggling with an injury, so this is almost overwhelming,” added van der Walt, whose victory also saw him claim the co-sanctioning Sunshine Tour’s Order of Merit for 2013.
“To win the last event of the year is going to make Christmas a lot more fun.”
Van der Walt began the day by picking up a birdie on the final hole of his second round in an event shortened to 54 holes after heavy rain caused lengthy delays on the first three days.
That left him tied second going into the final round, three shots adrift of England’s Daniel Brooks.
Van der Walt bogeyed the second after a swift turnaround, but with Brooks dropping six shots in his first seven holes the tournament blew wide open.
Three birdies in four holes from the third saw van der Walt join Baldwin at the top of the leaderboard, but a duffed chip at the eighth led to a bogey and when another shot was dropped at the 11th van der Walt’s challenge looked to have stalled.
But his three at the 12th saw him leapfrog Baldwin, and further birdies at the 13th and 15th ensured he was never in danger of being caught.
Baldwin and Campillo – who shot a stunning 59 on Friday – both finished with rounds of 68, earning the former a best-ever European Tour finish, with France’s Romain Wattel a shot further back in fourth and left to rue a triple-bogey eight on the par five eighth yesterday.
Van der Walt added: “Once I got that birdie on 15, I was pretty comfortable that the tournament was mine to lose. I wasn’t sure what the guys behind me were doing, but I knew that they would have to go for birdies if they were to force a play-off.
“So I was pretty relaxed coming home – it helped that I had been in that position before.” 
Defending champion Scott Jamieson from Glasgow tied for 23rd place alongside compatriot Alastair Forsyth on 204. Jamieson's opening round of 73 was the killer of his hopes. His subsequent rounds of 65 and 66 hinting at what might have been, given a better start.

Tournament Leaderboard

	Pos		Player name		Nat		Hole		Par
	1		VAN DER WALT, Dawie		RSA		18		-15
	T2		BALDWIN, Matthew		ENG		18		-13
	T2		CAMPILLO, Jorge		ESP		18		-13
	4		WATTEL, Romain		FRA		18		-12
	5		BEKKER, Oliver		RSA		18		-11
	T6		HAHN, John		USA		18		-10
	T6		AHLERS, Jaco		RSA		18		-10
	T6		SADDIER, Adrien		FRA		18		-10
	T6		GRACE, Branden		RSA		18		-10
	10		BREMNER, Merrick		RSA		18		-9

Full Leaderboard

SCOTS' SCORES
Par 210 (3x70)
204 Alastair Forsyth 68 67 69, Scott Jamieson 73 65 66 (T23)
207 Andrew McArthur 66 72 69 (T40)
213 Duncan Stewart 68 70 75 (75th).

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