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Malelane - It was only right that on the course where Charl Schwartzel’s professional career took off he should make history with his most dominant performance to date in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek on Sunday.
With a final round of 69, Schwartzel produced the lowest ever tournament total at Leopard Creek of 24 under par to win by 12 strokes. It follows his victory by 11 strokes in the Thailand Golf Championship last week. More significantly, it gives him a second victory in this event, with his first in 2004 also being his first European Tour title.
“Leopard Creek has always been a special place for me. It’s where my career started with my first win and it has a special place in my heart,” said Schwartzel.
Video highlights: Alfred Dunhill Championship
Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg finished second on 12 under with a closing 70, while Gregory Bourdy dropped into a share of third on 11 under following a seven on the last.
Schwartzel went into the final round with a 10-stroke lead, and only a two-hour weather delay interrupted his march to victory.
He calmly parred his first seven holes, made his only bogey of the round with a three-putt on eight, then made a further four birdies on his way to victory.
“For so long I’ve wanted to win here again. I wanted to get my hands on this leopard sculpture trophy, because when I won here it was a normal trophy. I came close a few times, and it’s nice to eventually win again here.”
Schwartzel was equally pleased to maintain his form over the past two weeks, which has seen him win by a collective 23 strokes.
“That doesn’t happen often. Normally after a win by such a big margin, it’s hard to put up the same show the next week. It’s satisfying to continue that form and play the same sort of golf. I keep talking about consistency, and mine is back where I like it to be.”
The final round of this event yielded another hole-in-one, and another BMW giveaway. Magnus Carlsson aced the par-three 12th for the third ace in three days on this hole. And he claimed the luxury BMW on offer as well.
And the final tournament of the Sunshine Tour season saw Branden Grace wrap up the Order of Merit title with his finish of tied 12th.
“It’s been a great finish to an awesome season. I’ve worked hard and I’m glad that I could pull it off. Hopefully 2013 can be anything near as good as this was,” said Grace.
Scores after the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Sunday at the par-72, 6 671m Leopard Creek Country Club (RSA unless specified):
264 - Charl Schwartzel 67 64 64 69
276 - Kristoffer Broberg (SWE) 70 69 67 70
277 - Scott Jamieson (SCO) 70 68 71 68, Garth Mulroy 71 68 70 68, Andy Sullivan (ENG) 73 71 64 69, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 66 65 74 72
278 - Richard Sterne 70 68 70 70, Keith Horne 70 69 68 71, Steve Webster (ENG) 67 69 70 72
279 - George Coetzee 71 70 73 65, Richard Bland (ENG) 67 73 71 68
280 - David Howell (ENG) 70 73 70 67, Tyrone van Aswegen 70 68 71 71, Branden Grace 68 71 67 74
281 - Richard McEvoy (ENG) 69 70 74 68, Peter Lawrie (IRL) 70 71 69 71, Danie van Tonder 72 70 67 72
282 - Magnus A Carlsson (SWE) 71 69 72 70, Danny Willett (ENG) 70 73 67 72
283 - Alessandro Tadini (ITA) 72 70 71 70, Justin Walters 73 71 68 71, Tjaart van der Walt 72 68 71 72, Lorenzo Gagli (ITA) 71 71 68 73, Darren Fichardt 67 68 73 75
284 - Desvonde Botes 75 69 69 71, Gary Lockerbie (ENG) 73 70 69 72, Bjorn Akesson (SWE) 71 70 70 73, Oscar Floren (SWE) 69 70 70 75, David Drysdale (SCO) 69 72 68 75
285 - Marc Warren (SCO) 73 71 75 66, Eddie Pepperell (ENG) 74 70 73 68, Espen Kofstad (NOR) 69 71 74 71, Michael Jonzon (SWE) 74 67 71 73, Doug McGuigan 71 71 68 75, Louis de Jager 67 69 73 76, John Parry (ENG) 72 70 67 76
286 - Richard Finch (ENG) 70 68 78 70, Mikael Lundberg(SWE) 71 72 73 70, Robert Rock (ENG) 69 68 77 72, Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 73 71 69 73, Vaughn Groenewald 72 70 69 75, Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 68 69 72 77, Matteo Delpodio (ITA) 72 68 69 77
287 - Simon Wakefield (ENG) 74 67 75 71, Divan van den Heever 73 71 69 74, JB Hansen (DEN) 70 70 72 75
288 - Peter Whiteford(SCO) 75 68 75 70, Oliver Bekker 67 77 72 72, Jaco Van Zyl 69 71 69 79
289 - Allan Versfeld 71 72 76 70, Sam Little (ENG) 72 69 76 72, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 69 69 74 77, Anton Haig 73 66 72 78, Alejandro Canizares (ESP) 70 72 69 78
290 - Eduardo de la Riva (ESP) 72 69 77 72, Graeme Storm (ENG) 68 74 76 72, Hennie Otto 71 71 75 73, Jean Hugo 71 71 74 74, Peter Uihlein (USA) 70 73 72 75, Estanislao Goya (ARG) 70 74 71 75, Thomas Aiken 70 73 67 80
291 - Tyrone Mordt 71 67 80 73, Christiaan Basson 70 72 75 74, Matthew Southgate (ENG) 70 74 73 74, Ockie Strydom 69 69 76 77
292 - Matthew Nixon (ENG) 75 69 75 73, George Murray (SCO) 73 69 73 77
293 - Neil Cheetham (ENG) 73 71 75 74
295 - Matthew Baldwin (ENG) 69 72 79 75
300 - James Kamte 70 72 74 84
WD - Louis Oosthuizen 73 67 72 WD
With a final round of 69, Schwartzel produced the lowest ever tournament total at Leopard Creek of 24 under par to win by 12 strokes. It follows his victory by 11 strokes in the Thailand Golf Championship last week. More significantly, it gives him a second victory in this event, with his first in 2004 also being his first European Tour title.
“Leopard Creek has always been a special place for me. It’s where my career started with my first win and it has a special place in my heart,” said Schwartzel.
Video highlights: Alfred Dunhill Championship
Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg finished second on 12 under with a closing 70, while Gregory Bourdy dropped into a share of third on 11 under following a seven on the last.
Schwartzel went into the final round with a 10-stroke lead, and only a two-hour weather delay interrupted his march to victory.
He calmly parred his first seven holes, made his only bogey of the round with a three-putt on eight, then made a further four birdies on his way to victory.
“For so long I’ve wanted to win here again. I wanted to get my hands on this leopard sculpture trophy, because when I won here it was a normal trophy. I came close a few times, and it’s nice to eventually win again here.”
Schwartzel was equally pleased to maintain his form over the past two weeks, which has seen him win by a collective 23 strokes.
“That doesn’t happen often. Normally after a win by such a big margin, it’s hard to put up the same show the next week. It’s satisfying to continue that form and play the same sort of golf. I keep talking about consistency, and mine is back where I like it to be.”
The final round of this event yielded another hole-in-one, and another BMW giveaway. Magnus Carlsson aced the par-three 12th for the third ace in three days on this hole. And he claimed the luxury BMW on offer as well.
And the final tournament of the Sunshine Tour season saw Branden Grace wrap up the Order of Merit title with his finish of tied 12th.
“It’s been a great finish to an awesome season. I’ve worked hard and I’m glad that I could pull it off. Hopefully 2013 can be anything near as good as this was,” said Grace.
Scores after the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Sunday at the par-72, 6 671m Leopard Creek Country Club (RSA unless specified):
264 - Charl Schwartzel 67 64 64 69
276 - Kristoffer Broberg (SWE) 70 69 67 70
277 - Scott Jamieson (SCO) 70 68 71 68, Garth Mulroy 71 68 70 68, Andy Sullivan (ENG) 73 71 64 69, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 66 65 74 72
278 - Richard Sterne 70 68 70 70, Keith Horne 70 69 68 71, Steve Webster (ENG) 67 69 70 72
279 - George Coetzee 71 70 73 65, Richard Bland (ENG) 67 73 71 68
280 - David Howell (ENG) 70 73 70 67, Tyrone van Aswegen 70 68 71 71, Branden Grace 68 71 67 74
281 - Richard McEvoy (ENG) 69 70 74 68, Peter Lawrie (IRL) 70 71 69 71, Danie van Tonder 72 70 67 72
282 - Magnus A Carlsson (SWE) 71 69 72 70, Danny Willett (ENG) 70 73 67 72
283 - Alessandro Tadini (ITA) 72 70 71 70, Justin Walters 73 71 68 71, Tjaart van der Walt 72 68 71 72, Lorenzo Gagli (ITA) 71 71 68 73, Darren Fichardt 67 68 73 75
284 - Desvonde Botes 75 69 69 71, Gary Lockerbie (ENG) 73 70 69 72, Bjorn Akesson (SWE) 71 70 70 73, Oscar Floren (SWE) 69 70 70 75, David Drysdale (SCO) 69 72 68 75
285 - Marc Warren (SCO) 73 71 75 66, Eddie Pepperell (ENG) 74 70 73 68, Espen Kofstad (NOR) 69 71 74 71, Michael Jonzon (SWE) 74 67 71 73, Doug McGuigan 71 71 68 75, Louis de Jager 67 69 73 76, John Parry (ENG) 72 70 67 76
286 - Richard Finch (ENG) 70 68 78 70, Mikael Lundberg(SWE) 71 72 73 70, Robert Rock (ENG) 69 68 77 72, Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 73 71 69 73, Vaughn Groenewald 72 70 69 75, Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 68 69 72 77, Matteo Delpodio (ITA) 72 68 69 77
287 - Simon Wakefield (ENG) 74 67 75 71, Divan van den Heever 73 71 69 74, JB Hansen (DEN) 70 70 72 75
288 - Peter Whiteford(SCO) 75 68 75 70, Oliver Bekker 67 77 72 72, Jaco Van Zyl 69 71 69 79
289 - Allan Versfeld 71 72 76 70, Sam Little (ENG) 72 69 76 72, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 69 69 74 77, Anton Haig 73 66 72 78, Alejandro Canizares (ESP) 70 72 69 78
290 - Eduardo de la Riva (ESP) 72 69 77 72, Graeme Storm (ENG) 68 74 76 72, Hennie Otto 71 71 75 73, Jean Hugo 71 71 74 74, Peter Uihlein (USA) 70 73 72 75, Estanislao Goya (ARG) 70 74 71 75, Thomas Aiken 70 73 67 80
291 - Tyrone Mordt 71 67 80 73, Christiaan Basson 70 72 75 74, Matthew Southgate (ENG) 70 74 73 74, Ockie Strydom 69 69 76 77
292 - Matthew Nixon (ENG) 75 69 75 73, George Murray (SCO) 73 69 73 77
293 - Neil Cheetham (ENG) 73 71 75 74
295 - Matthew Baldwin (ENG) 69 72 79 75
300 - James Kamte 70 72 74 84
WD - Louis Oosthuizen 73 67 72 WD
