Ariel Canete adds to Argentinian success
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2007 Joburg Open | Wrap | 15 Jan 2007
31-year-old Ariel Canete has joined the growing list of Argentinian golfers to win on the European Tour and he has the extended field introduced for the Joburg Open to thank for a week that will change his life.
With two courses utilised for the opening 36 holes at this week’s event the tournament there was enough spots for a golfer who lost his European Tour status in 2006 and who could only manage 53rd at the Tour School. Canete had finished 4th in a Buenos Aires Challenge Tour event six weeks ago and had resigned himself to the fact that he would need to rely on mixing Challenge Tour and European Tour campaigns to try and get back to the main tour in 2008.
When it became clear that a start in South Africa was available, he took the gamble, as it no doubt was, to fly across the Atlantic to Johannesburg for the one off chance to contest one of the few European Tour events he would be able to play early in the season. Canete will look back on that decision in years to come as probably one of the best he has made in golf as he is now a winner on the European Tour and, within reason, can play as often as he so chooses for the next three seasons. It was a life altering week.
Canete led by a shot into the final round and an early bogey was not a good sign for one so inexperienced at this level of contention. Fortunately for Canete his nearest challenger, South African, Andrew McLardy, was also struggling early on. By the time Canete had made the turn however things were getting very tight as he shared the lead with McLardy and both were just one shot ahead of another South African, Hennie Otto.
Canete and McLardy were locked in a close duel for much of the closing nine holes until Canete birdied three of the last four holes to move to 16 under and complete a two shot victory over McLardy and by three over Otto.
Play was disrupted midway through the third round ensuring the bulk of the field were forced to return to the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club early on Sunday morning. Canete finished off his third round with three birdies in his last five holes creating the narrow lead he had over McLardy before the final round.
Canete joins the likes of Eduardo Romero, Angel Cabrera, Ricardo Gonzalez and Cesar Monasterio in recent years as Argentine golfers to win on the European Tour along with several others who have won on the Challenge Tour.
Terry Pilkadaris was the best of the Australasians in the field, bouncing back from a poor third round to finish 8th. Victorian, Pilkadaris, who has been a quiet achiever on the Asian Tour in recent years, will get several early season starts on the European Tour courtesy of the co sanctioning impact of events between the Asian and European Tour.
Matthew Zions is a name not all that familiar to Australian golf fans as he played most of his amateur golf at college in the US. He is from Kempsey in New South Wales and gained his card via the Q School in Europe late last year. At that point he had also played his way to the second stage at the USPGA Tour School but was forced to make a decision to commit the event in Spain after it had been delayed by weather. It was a wise choice and although he fell victim to a late collapse in his final round, his 24th place is encouraging for him.
Brisbane golfer, Simon Nash, another to get a one off start this week after his narrow miss at European Tour School struggled over the weekend after making a good start to the event and finished 80th.
The European Tour now heads to Abu Dhabi for this week’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
