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Durban - George Coetzee, the top-ranked South African in the field, combined with former Ryder Cup captain Mark James of England to win the Gary Player Invitational at the Zimbali Country Club on Sunday.
Tied for the lead with local favourite Jaco van Zyl and Welshman Ian Woosnam after the first day of the professional betterball medal competition, the pair tore away from the field to win by four shots.
Coetzee and James fired a second-round 61 for a total of 19 under par at the 36-hole event.
Coetzee overpowered the course at times with his long hitting, while James used his experience to guide the duo to victory.
The wind dropped on the second day, and it made for better scoring on the difficult coastal layout.
Swede Peter Hanson and South Africa's Sally Little shot 13 under par in a tie for third with Carly Booth of Scotland and Englishman David Russell.
In the fourball alliance competition, including amateurs, Coetzee and James were ably assisted by former Proteas cricket captain Shaun Pollock and businessman Wessel Wittuhn, finishing on a total of 40 under par.
The winning fourball, in the two scores to count format, signed for a second round total of 25 under par to add to their opening 15 under.
Scores after the final round of the Gary Player Invitational at the Zimbali Country Club on Sunday:
Betterball professional competition (Par 72):
125 - Mark James (ENG), George Coetzee (RSA) 64 61
129 - Ian Woosnam (WAL), Jaco van Zyl (RSA) 64 65
131 - Carly Booth (SCO), David Russel (ENG) 68 63, Sally Little (RSA), Peter Hanson (SWE) 67 64
134 - Jesper Parnevik (SWE), Roger Wessels (RSA) 69 65
135 - Tony Johnstone (ZIM), Diana Luna (ITA) 70 65
136 - Lee-Anne Pace (RSA), Vincent Tshabalala (RSA) 69 67
135 - Gary Player (RSA), James Kamte (RSA) 69 68
Fourball alliance (two scores to count):
-40 - Wessel Witthuhn, Shaun Pollock, George Coetzee, Mark James
-34 - Ron Boon, Breyton Paulse, Jesper Parnevik, Roger Wessels
-30 - Alan Pearson, Thomas Msengana, Diana Luna, Tony Johnstone
-28 - Greg Whittaker, Kapil Dev, Carly Booth, David Russell
-24 - Alex Maditsi, Craig Joubert, Peter Hanson, Sally Little
-23 - Dieter Schonfeld, Lucas Radebe, Jaco van Zyl, Ian Woosnam
-21 - Claudia Schonfeld, Paul Collingwood, James Kamte, Gary Player
-15 - Kevin McNally, Pierre Spies, Lee-Anne Pace, Vincent Tshabalala
