By Tabisa Mntengwana
11 January 2010

SOUTH African golfer Charl Schwartzel won his first Africa Open on Sunday, 10 January at par-73.

Schwartzel took home the one million euro (about R10,5-million) prize after taking a single stroke at the 18th hole at the East London Golf Club. "It was not the ideal tee shot when I pushed it right on 18," he said.

The prestigious event, sponsored by Buffalo City Municipality, Amathole District Municipality, MTN, Basil Read Construction, Eastern Cape Tourism, Brandhouse, Kempston Group and Premier Hotels and Resorts, kicked off on Thursday, 7 January.

Buffalo City Executive Mayor Zukisa Faku spoke of the importance of the tournament as a "showcase".

Speaking ahead of the tournament, she said she hoped that sports lovers around the world would "see is a dynamic, multicultural community and a sophisticated destination that is ideal for events such as this".

Tournament director, Mbali Ngqula, echoed these sentiments saying: "We have always felt that East London deserves a world-class professional tournament and we were determined to see that it gets one."

According to a press statement from the organisers, at one point Schwartzel thought South African compatriot Thomas Aiken had birdied 17 and drawn level, "but the big scoreboard had it wrong for about three minutes as the … champion looked on anxiously from the score-recorder's booth".

Schwartzel added: "I said to my caddie that we should take five and leave Thomas with a birdie to force a playoff." However, he finished on 20 under 272 in the tournament to win the game, while Aiken carded a 70.

The Africa Open in East London was Schwartzel's fourth European Tour win. He took the 2004-5 Alfred Dunhill Championship, the 2007 Open de Espana and the 2008 Madrid. According to the press statement, the win capped a run of form that "left him wondering week in and week out when form would be converted to victory".

"I really just needed a little bit of luck," said Schwartzel. "I have been playing well, and when I shot 70 on Friday, I had no luck at all. Who knows what that round could have been."

Aiken, who led into the final round with Trevor Fisher Junior, was left regretting a double-bogey six on the innocuous-looking 303m fifth.

That let Schwartzel open up a gap which was eventually too big to close. He had a three-stroke advantage on the 16th tee and then had to wait it out as Aiken made a birdie on 15 to close things to two down the stretch.

In the end, Aiken had a 4,5 metre for birdie and although he got it close, he was unable to force the playoff.

Behind Aiken, Jbe' Kruger and Fisher shared third on 18 under 274, with Australia's Rick Kulacz, England's James Morrison and South African Chris Swanepoel in fifth place.

Rounding out the day was another South African golfer, Branden Grace, who made a valiant charge at the lead with his seven-under par 66 which included three eagles. "I just couldn't keep the bogeys and other rubbish off my card," he said, finishing 16 under 276.

He ended up sharing eighth place with fellow South Africans James Kingston and Michiel Bothma, Sweden's Pelle Edberg and England's Miles Tunnicliff.

Reflecting on the week's game, Schwartzel said, "I think I dropped just five shots the whole week."