Golf
Goosen pipped at the post
2008-11-30 17:23
George - Bobby Lincoln claimed his second victory in the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola as he partnered Sunshine Tour star Garth Mulroy to a three-stroke win in the betterball competition at The Links at Fancourt on Sunday.
Lincoln and Mulroy combined for a solid 64 on the final day of this pro-celebrity tournament to win on 18-under-par, with Retief Goosen and Constantino Rocca finishing second on 15-under-par.
“Two different players and two satisfying wins. At least I know I’ll get an invite back next year,” said Lincoln, whose other victory in this event came in 2006 when he partnered Goosen.
The European Senior Tour professional led the scoring on the front nine with three birdies and an eagle, while Mulroy took up the challenge on the back nine with three birdies and an eagle of his own.
More impressive
“I holed a few putts on the front nine, but nothing on the back. Fortunately Garth took over and played beautifully,” he said.
Mulroy was delighted with the win on the back of his victory in the Coca-Cola Championship, also played at Fancourt, only a few days before, and another victory in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Western Cape a few months back.
His achievement this weekend was even more impressive considering this was the first time he had played the fearsome Links course.
“It was great fun. It was a pretty nice course to play. I’ll take a few days off now and then start practising again for the upcoming summer on the Sunshine Tour,” he said.
The consistency of Lincoln and Mulroy enabled them to hold off Goosen and Rocca behind them on the final day.
Goosen and Rocca went into Sunday’s final 18 holes as the joint betterball leaders, and they made an immediate move on the leaderboard with Goosen’s birdie at the first. They combined well to give themselves a chance going into the back nine.
But Rocca was unable to maintain his form there and started the nine with a bogey, double bogey and bogey from the 10th. Goosen did his best to keep it a contest though with four straight birdies from the 13th.
'Looking forward'
Goosen did, however, have something to celebrate this weekend as his team claimed victory in the fourball alliance competition.
Goosen, Rocca and their celebrity amateurs Ines Sastre, the Spanish model and actress, and businessman Alan Pearson claimed an eight-stroke victory on 35-under-par.
“It’s been pleasing for me to see the swing changes starting to pay off and my putting this weekend is back to where I want it,” said the two-time US Open champion.
“I’m looking forward to challenging in the South African Open.”
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