Hansen recovers for Joburg Open win
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2009 Joburg Open | Round Four | 12 Jan 2009
Despite a horror start to the event in Thursday’s opening round, Denmark’s Anders Hansen has won the Joburg Open in Johannesburg and in doing so secured his third European Tour title to go with his two BMW PGA Championships.
38-year-old Hansen started the event with a double bogey and a bogey but recovered sufficiently for an opening round of 71 before working his way through the field over the next 54 holes. His third round of 64 moved him within one of the lead and a brilliant outward nine of 31 on the final day set up the victory.
A birdie at his final hole gave him the cushion he needed to edge out those nearest to him with third round leader, Andrew McLardy pulling his tee shot at the final hole and therefore costing him the chance to catch Hansen. McLardy finished alone in second position one shot behind the winner while Scot, David Drysdale, was one shot further back.
Drysdale is playing with full European Tour rights again after regaining his card at the recent European Tour School in Spain.
The highlight of the final day was produced by Retief Goosen, who holed a three iron at the final hole for an alabatross. Goosen, who started the final round only one behind the lead, could only manage a round of 74 and a share of 23rd position after a disappointing round that included nine bogeys.
Third round co-leader, Charl Schwartzel, fellow local Tyrone Van Aswegen and England’s Danny Willet tied for 4th. Willett only recently turned professional and gained his European Tour playing rights via the Q-School in November. An outstanding amateur, this result further confirms the promise of the 21-year-old who at one stage prior to turning professional was the number one amateur in the world.
The most talked about player of the week Richard Sterne, looking for three European Tour victories in succession did well enough but eventually finished in a share of 12th.
The European Tour now moves into the Middle East for three weeks starting this coming week with the Abu Dhabi Championship
