Spain’s Pablo Martin took the second European Tour victory of his career when he defeated South African Charl Schwartzel by one stroke to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Sunday.
The 23-year-old produced a steady three-under-par round of 69 to equal the tournament scoring record at 17-under-par.
Martin’s safe strategy and solid putting were enough to secure the win on a day when some of his challengers fell apart.
Ernie Els slumped to a five-over-par 77 after starting the final round two strokes behind Martin at 12-under-par. This means the big South African has failed to win in a calendar year for the first time since 1990.
Martin’s winning round featured birdies at the second, fifth, 12th and 13th holes. His only bogey came at the par-three seventh where he hit his tee shot into the water.
He was forced to make par for victory at the difficult water-surrounded par-five 18th when Schwartzel halved his two-stroke deficit by making a birdie.
Though tempted to go for the green in two, Martin laid up in the knowledge that two putts would do the job.
His first left him a two-footer and although it was not the most confident of strikes, he put the ball in the hole to take his first win since he claimed the 2007 Estoril Open de Portugal as an amateur.
“I’ve never had such a difficult 80-yard shot in my life,” Martin said of his third shot to the 18th, which checked up just in time to avoid running into the water. “I knew Charl was going to make birdie so that pitch shot was the most nervous I’ve ever been and it was pretty tight.”
■SHARK SHOOTOUT
AFP, NAPLES, FLORIDA
Steve Stricker fired an eagle on the 17th hole as he and fellow American Jerry Kelly combined for a 26-under 190 to win the US$3 million Shark Shootout by one stroke.
The pair shot a final day 13-under 59 with the help of Stricker’s eagle putt on the par-five 17. He also hit the second shot on the hole at the Tiburon golf course.
Stricker and Kelly earned US$750,000 in prize money to share between them.
They clinched the win when Kenny Perry and J.B. Holmes failed to birdie the 18th hole.
Heading into Sunday’s play Kelly and Stricker had a one-shot lead.
This was the second win in this event for Kelly who paired with Rod Pampling to take the 2006 title. Stricker won for the first time.
The final round was played in a better-ball scramble format. The pairing played the best shot from each player until the hole was completed.
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