ANOTHER SOUTH AFRICAN VICTORY ON HOME TURF
THOMAS AIKEN BEATS OLIVER FISHER
IN PLAY-OFF FOR AFRICA OPEN TITLE
South Africa still rules in tournaments on home turf. Thomas Aiken maintained his country's tremendous record in European Tour events in general in South Africa and the Africa Open in particular when he beat Oliver Fisher in a play-off at East London Golf Club on the Eastern Cape. Aiken, who sounds as if he has some Scottish blood in his veins. secured his third European Tour title and first on
home soil with a 30ft birdie putt on the first extra hole.
An eagle from 12 feet at the third had been the highlight of Aiken’s 67, as he and Fisher spent much of the afternoon neck-and-neck.
The Englishman had started with a bogey after missing the opening green, but responded with five gains amidst two further dropped shots and would have won had his birdie effort from 15 feet at the last dropped rather than burn the edge of the hole.
“I’ve been waiting for this for quite some time; I’ve won a couple of times overseas, but there is nothing like winning in front of a home crowd,” said Aiken, who finished fifth in his last two events and has already recorded six top-20 finishes on the 2014 Race to Dubai.
“The South African fans have been unbelievable throughout my whole career so it’s nice to finally get one for you guys.”
Aiken had wife Kate on the bag (the couple are pictured together after a previous victory) for the first time, and added: “Thanks so much to my wife, who helped me on the bag for the first time – we might have to do it again!
“East London Golf Club, what a fantastic golf club. It shows that a course doesn’t need to be long for it to play interestingly.
“I always love coming back here, and it’s so great to finally get this trophy under my belt.”
Aiken joins compatriots Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen (twice) and Darren Fichardt in lifting the trophy, which has yet to be prised from South African hands.
England's David Horsey birdied four of his last six holes to shoot a final round of 65 and claim a share of third place on 19 under alongside American John Hahn.
Overnight leader Emiliano Grillo was in a four- strong group a shot further back after gains at the last five holes repaired some of the damage of a quintuple-bogey 9 on the opening hole.
Grillo held a two-shot lead thanks to a brilliant 62 on Saturday, yet the 21-year-old Argentinian had already taken a penalty drop from an unplayable lie when he chipped his fourth shot into a greenside bunker, from where he needed two attempts to escape.
But his sixth shot had rolled back off the green and, after chipping up to seven feet, he needed two putts to complete an extraordinary opening hole and drop his first stroke since his 15th hole on Thursday.
SCOTSWATCH: David Drysdale did well to shoot 12-under-par 272 over the shortish 6,600yd course.
A final round of six-under 66 lifted him up to a share of 27th place and a payslip for 8,786 Euros.
Jamie McLeary earned 7,000 Euros for T34 on 273. He broke 70 in every round, ending with a best of the four score of 67. Well done, Jamie, a rookie on the European Tour although a very experienced one at that. Not many people know he was born in Peterhead!
Chris Doak tumbled to 67th place with an astonishing last round of 84 after earlier scores of 69, 67 and 67. Only Chris will know what went wrong - plenty, we would suggest. Doak earned 2,300 Euros.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x72) Yardage: 6,600 Prizemoney in Euros
264 Thomas Aiken (S Africa) 66 65 66 67 (158,500); Oliver Fisher (England) 66 63 66 69 (115,500). Aiken bt Fisher in sudden death play-off.
265 John Hahn (USA) 65 61 71 68, David Horsey (England) 66 64 70 65 (59,150 each).
266 Richard Bland (England) 64 69 64 69, Darren Fichardt (S Africa) 66 67 67 66, Emiliano Grillo (Argentina) 68 63 62 73 (32,700 each).
SCOTS' TOTALS
272 David Drysdale 65 70 71 66 (T27) (8,786)
273 Jamie McLeary 69 68 6 9 67 (T34) (7,000)
287 Chris Doak 69 67 67 84 (67th) (2,300)
MISSED THE CUT
139 Alastair Forsyth 71 68, Duncan Stewart 72 67
140 Craig Lee 69 71, Doug McGuigan 72 68
145 Alan McLean 70 75
146 Peter Whiteford 68 78
147 Jack Doherty 76 71.
IN PLAY-OFF FOR AFRICA OPEN TITLE
An eagle from 12 feet at the third had been the highlight of Aiken’s 67, as he and Fisher spent much of the afternoon neck-and-neck.
The Englishman had started with a bogey after missing the opening green, but responded with five gains amidst two further dropped shots and would have won had his birdie effort from 15 feet at the last dropped rather than burn the edge of the hole.
“I’ve been waiting for this for quite some time; I’ve won a couple of times overseas, but there is nothing like winning in front of a home crowd,” said Aiken, who finished fifth in his last two events and has already recorded six top-20 finishes on the 2014 Race to Dubai.
“The South African fans have been unbelievable throughout my whole career so it’s nice to finally get one for you guys.”
Aiken had wife Kate on the bag (the couple are pictured together after a previous victory) for the first time, and added: “Thanks so much to my wife, who helped me on the bag for the first time – we might have to do it again!
“East London Golf Club, what a fantastic golf club. It shows that a course doesn’t need to be long for it to play interestingly.
“I always love coming back here, and it’s so great to finally get this trophy under my belt.”
Aiken joins compatriots Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen (twice) and Darren Fichardt in lifting the trophy, which has yet to be prised from South African hands.
England's David Horsey birdied four of his last six holes to shoot a final round of 65 and claim a share of third place on 19 under alongside American John Hahn.
Overnight leader Emiliano Grillo was in a four- strong group a shot further back after gains at the last five holes repaired some of the damage of a quintuple-bogey 9 on the opening hole.
Grillo held a two-shot lead thanks to a brilliant 62 on Saturday, yet the 21-year-old Argentinian had already taken a penalty drop from an unplayable lie when he chipped his fourth shot into a greenside bunker, from where he needed two attempts to escape.
But his sixth shot had rolled back off the green and, after chipping up to seven feet, he needed two putts to complete an extraordinary opening hole and drop his first stroke since his 15th hole on Thursday.
SCOTSWATCH: David Drysdale did well to shoot 12-under-par 272 over the shortish 6,600yd course.
A final round of six-under 66 lifted him up to a share of 27th place and a payslip for 8,786 Euros.
Jamie McLeary earned 7,000 Euros for T34 on 273. He broke 70 in every round, ending with a best of the four score of 67. Well done, Jamie, a rookie on the European Tour although a very experienced one at that. Not many people know he was born in Peterhead!
Chris Doak tumbled to 67th place with an astonishing last round of 84 after earlier scores of 69, 67 and 67. Only Chris will know what went wrong - plenty, we would suggest. Doak earned 2,300 Euros.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x72) Yardage: 6,600 Prizemoney in Euros
264 Thomas Aiken (S Africa) 66 65 66 67 (158,500); Oliver Fisher (England) 66 63 66 69 (115,500). Aiken bt Fisher in sudden death play-off.
265 John Hahn (USA) 65 61 71 68, David Horsey (England) 66 64 70 65 (59,150 each).
266 Richard Bland (England) 64 69 64 69, Darren Fichardt (S Africa) 66 67 67 66, Emiliano Grillo (Argentina) 68 63 62 73 (32,700 each).
SCOTS' TOTALS
272 David Drysdale 65 70 71 66 (T27) (8,786)
273 Jamie McLeary 69 68 6 9 67 (T34) (7,000)
287 Chris Doak 69 67 67 84 (67th) (2,300)
MISSED THE CUT
139 Alastair Forsyth 71 68, Duncan Stewart 72 67
140 Craig Lee 69 71, Doug McGuigan 72 68
145 Alan McLean 70 75
146 Peter Whiteford 68 78
147 Jack Doherty 76 71.
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, February 16, 2014
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