Louis Oosthuizen overcame a nervous start to eke out a one-stroke victory at the Perth International yesterday, the South African securing his eighth European Tour title on his first ever visit to Australia.
The winner of The Open in 2010 went into the final round with a three-stroke lead, but quickly saw his advantage reduced to one after a bogey on the second hole.
Local favorite Jason Scrivener tied the 33-year-old South African for the lead briefly, but Oosthuizen regained his sole possession of top spot after consecutive birdies on the seventh and eighth.
Photo: EPA
Oosthuizen’s final round one-under 71 for a four-day total of 16-under 272 was eventually enough to keep him ahead of Frenchman Alexander Levy, while Scrivener finished a stroke further adrift in third.
Taiwan’s Hung Chien-yao carded a final-round 72 to finish tied for 71st place on four-over.
World No. 21 Oosthuizen admitted he was nervous after his false start, but regained control to end a two-year title on the European Tour.
“I missed the second and third greens, and was a sort of little rattled after that, but I settled in nicely and got back to hitting greens and giving myself opportunities,” Oosthuizen told reporters. “Then I had a good stretch from holes seven through to 12, although I did leave myself with a vicious first putt on the last, but luckily I had three so could afford the bogey.”
Levy’s birdie on the 18th meant Oosthuizen had a two-shot advantage heading into the final hole and his bogey was still good enough to see him home.
“The greens firmed out a little today, so you needed to look at your speeds carefully and the lines changed quite a bit,” said Oosthuizen, adding that he stayed up late to watch the Stormers defeat Bulls in their opening Super Rugby fixture, but fell asleep when they were winning with five minutes to go.
“So it was slightly different, but still good,” he said.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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