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Johannesburg - Briton Andy Sullivan profited from a flurry of late dropped shots by home favourite Charl Schwartzel to win the South African Open at the first playoff hole and record his first European Tour victory on Sunday.
Schwartzel dropped four shots in his last five holes to enter a play-off with Sullivan, having seemingly been cruising to what would have been his maiden home championship win.
Having carded a final round 67 for a tournament total of 277, Sullivan then produced a superb iron into the green from the rough to set up the birdie chance on the first extra hole and defeat a deflated Schwartzel.
The South African had led by five shots going into the final round, but could only manage a 74 on Sunday as his game fell apart on the final five holes.
AFP provided the leading scores:
(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):
277 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 68 69 66 74, Andrew Sullivan 66 70 74 67
Sullivan won first hole of play-off.
278 - Lee Slattery 70 74 65 69
279 - Pablo Martin Benavides (ESP) 71 68 71 69
281 - Thomas Aiken (RSA) 70 71 70 70, Alessandro Tadini (ITA) 71 68 73 69, Paul Maddy 71 71 68 71, Jared Harvey (RSA) 71 69 70 71, Gary Stal (FRA) 75 66 69 71, Matthew Fitzpatrick 73 68 67 73
282 - Jason Scrivener (AUS) 73 72 66 71, David Drysdale 68 72 68 74
283 - Hennie Otto (RSA) 72 71 70 70, Raphael Jacquelin (FRA) 69 76 72 66
284 - Branden Grace (RSA) 71 71 69 73, Rikard Karlberg (SWE) 70 70 71 73, James Morrison 71 69 72 72, Neil Schietekat (RSA) 74 72 68 70, Trevor Fisher Jnr (RSA) 72 73 71 68
285 - Carlos Del Moral (ESP) 72 72 69 72, Lasse Jensen (DEN) 67 71 72 75, Ernie Els (RSA) 67 77 69 72, Matthew Nixon 72 69 72 72, Richard Sterne (RSA) 67 74 69 75
286 - Alex Haindl (RSA) 73 72 71 70, Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 72 73 68 73, Jorge Campillo (ESP) 73 71 69 73, Matt Ford 70 71 72 73, Andrea Pavan (ITA) 74 71 71 70, Niclas Fasth (SWE) 69 73 73 71, Colin Nel (RSA) 68 70 72 76, Rhys West (RSA) 75 71 71 69.
