By Jason Humphries
EAST LONDON, South Africa Jan 8 (Reuters) – South
African Louis Oosthuizen retained his Africa Open title, holding
his nerve at the decisive 17th to complete a two-stroke win on
Sunday.
Oosthuizen carded a final round six-under par 67 to end on
27-under par for the co-sanctioned tournament just ahead of his
countryman Tjaart van der Walt who completed a final round 69.
The 29-year-old Oosthuizen, who won the 2011 edition of the
Africa Open after a three-man playoff, made a mixed start to his
final round with an eagle, a birdie and two dropped shots in his
first five holes.
But he made three birdies between the sixth and ninth holes
to reach the turn in 25-under and a share for the lead with Van
der Walt before grabbing another birdie on the par-five 11th.
The first three days of the tournament had seen sunny skies
and barely a breath of wind but day four provided overcast
conditions and a blustery wind which made scoring slightly more
difficult than it had been on the coastal course, especially for
the late starters.
By the 17th Van der Walt and Oosthuizen, who began the day
as co-leaders, were locked in an enthralling struggle both on
26-under.
But Van der Walt bogeyed the 164-yard hole after his tee
shot failed to find the green while Oosthuizen, the 2010 British
Open Champion, showed all his experience to sink a 35-foot
birdie putt.
“The 17th was playing really tough today with the wind
blowing off the right,” Oosthuizen told reporters.
Continued…
