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By Ken Borland
JOHANNESBURG Jan 15 (Reuters) – South African Branden
Grace played with admirable composure to win his first European
Tour title with victory in the Joburg Open by a stroke with a
level-par final round of 72 on Sunday.
Grace finished on 17-under-par, one stroke ahead of Briton
Jamie Elson, who catapulted himself into second place with an
outstanding nine-under-par 63.
The 23-year-old began the final round with a three-
stroke lead over compatriot George Coetzee and Briton Richard
Finch. They were all playing in the final three-ball after
weather delays on the first three days of the 1.3 million euro
($1.65 million) event.
Finch crashed to a six-over-par 78, three-putting three
times on the front nine, to end nine shots off the pace.
Coetzee closed to within two shots of the lead with birdies
on the fifth, sixth and eighth holes, but the burly South
African faded on the back nine after a double-bogey on the par-
four 13th when he hooked his approach shot into the water.
The world number 80 finished with a 75 to close on
11-under-par in a tie for 14th place.
Grace, a former member of the Ernie Els Foundation, put
together nine straight pars on the back nine to hold off Elson
and six golfers who finished in a tie for third on 14-under.
Continued…
