Els wins second South African Open
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2006 South African Airways Open | Wrap | 18 Dec 2006
The South African Airways Open was won for the second time today by Ernie Els who, in winning the event, added a 23rd European Tour title to his impressive list of victories.
Els started the final day three shots behind fellow countryman Trevor Immelman but, by the time the pair had reached the turn, not only had Els made up the deficit, he had gone two ahead courtesy of his own good form and Immelman’s rather sluggish start.
Els added five further birdies in the space of six holes over the closing nine and even a bogey at the last was not going to spoil the party as he ran out the winner by three over Immelman with a further shot back to a resurgent Patrick Sjoland.
Els admitted afterwards that at the completion of round three he felt the task of chasing down Immelman might prove too great given the manner in which Immelman had finished off his second round. Els headed to the practice fairway and ’found something’ on Saturday evening and said after today’s final round that he has hardly played better than he did today.
Immelman continued a stunning season in 2006 when he has been named the Rookie of the Year on the USPGA Tour, won the Western Open and had his first child.
Sjoland was one of the stars of European golf in the late 1990’s but by the end of 2005 had lost all status and all but gave the game away in 2006 before returning to Tour School just a few weeks ago. There he managed to regain his playing rights by finishing 7th. He finished 48th last week at the Alfred Dunhill and appears to be back on track after his last round of 67, which included four birdies in the last five holes, moved him to third place ahead of Darren Fichardt.
Perhaps the most intriguing story of the week belongs to Andrew Raitt the Englishman who has become better known for his long suffering battle against the impact of an incident several years ago when his finger was bitten off by a dog. After being encouraged to sue the dog’s owner, costs were awarded against him. He lost his home, his family, and temporarily his career, but this week, after having his a finger transplant and three weeks ago regaining his European Tour card yet again, he finished in a share of fifth place.
One of those Raitt shared fifth place with was the defending champion Retief Goosen whose sextuple bogey 11 on the par five 17th hole on the first day of the event when leading cost him any real chance of contending for the title.
The best of the Australians was Andrew Tampion who was playing in just his fifth event as a professional having left amateur ranks soon after representing Australia at the Eisenhower Trophy and gaining his European card at the recent Tour School in Spain.
Wade Ormsby finished 72nd after flying across to play the event following his third place at last week’s Australian PGA Championship.
