Immelman wins South African Airways Open in playoff

BY iseekgolf.com | European PGA Tour | 2003 South African Airways Open | Wrap | 13 Jan 2003

South African Trevor Immelman has beaten fellow countryman and defending champion, Tim Clark on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the South African Airways Open.

Immelman began the day three strokes off the pace but a final round 67 allowed to move into a tie for the lead with Clark at the end of the day. Immelman birdied the final hole to draw level with Clark, after Clark failed to drop his birdie putt.

Immelman secured victory at the first hole of the sudeen-death playoff after dropping his second shot to within inches of the hole. The victory gives Immelman a two-year exemption on the European Tour and a first prize purse of close to US$200,000.

The turning point for Clark came in the third round when he blew a comfortable lead at the par-5 16th hole. Clark’s ball landed in thick rough on the side of the green and, looking like a weekend golfer, he miss-hit a short wedge shot several times before getting the ball up and on to the green for a quadruple-bogey 9, a very costly mistake indeed.

The top seven positions on the leaderboard were all held by South Africans with third-round leader, Jean Hugo, Bradford Vaughan, Bobby Lincoln, Tjaart Van Der Walt and Charl Schwartzel finishing in equal 3rd at -11, three strokes off the lead.

England’s Justin Rose headed a group of six Europeans in equal eighth place including Stephen Dodd, Andrew Coltart, Gary Murphy, Rolf Muntz and Brian Davis.

Justin Rose will now head off to the Houghton Golf Club in Johannesburg to defend his 2002 title at the Dunhill Championships.