SUN CITY, South Africa, 6 December 2004 — South Africa’s Retief Goosen claimed his first Sun City Golf Challenge title at the Gary Player Country Club yesterday.
Goosen, the reigning U.S. Open champion, carded a final round 69 for a 72-hole aggregate of 281 to win by six strokes from countryman Ernie Els and Australia’s Stuart Appleby.
Goosen started the day on four under, one shot behind leader Lee Westwood, but produced the best nine holes of the tournament to go out in 31 strokes to move five shots clear of the field.
It was a lead he never came close to relinquishing and he pocketed $1.2 million for his efforts.
‘Lucky’ Lonard Completes Australian Open-PGA Double
In Melbourne, Peter Lonard hit a closing seven-under-par 65 to win the Australian PGA Championship by two strokes yesterday, one week after claiming the Australian Open title for a second successive year.
Australian Lonard carded a total of 18-under 270 at the Coolum golf course on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Overnight leader and rookie professional James Nitties (70) finished second on 272.
American Bob Estes (70) was third, one stroke behind Nitties. Estes had a bogey-five on the last hole.
The 37-year-old Lonard was a joint winner of the Australian PGA Championship two years ago, with Jarrod Moseley.
“I didn’t play that good but I hit it in the right places and got lucky,” Lonard told reporters after firing eight birdies and one bogey yesterday.
Nick O’Hern (67) and American Corey Pavin (70) were equal fourth on 14-under 274.
The 37-year-old Lonard was a joint winner of the Australian PGA Championship two years ago, with Jarrod Moseley.
“I didn’t play that good but I hit it in the right places and got lucky,” Lonard told reporters after firing eight birdies and one bogey yesterday. Nick O’Hern (67) and American Corey Pavin (70) were equal fourth on 14-under 274.
Jimenez Wins Hong Kong Open by One Shot
In Hong Kong, Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez won his fifth tournament of the year with a one-shot victory at the Hong Kong Open yesterday.
Jimenez, who carded a final round 66 for a 14-under-par total of 266, held off a spirited challenge from Irish ace Padraig Harrington and James Kingston of South Africa who finished joint second on 267.
The 40-year-old has enjoyed the best year of his career, finishing fourth on the Volvo Order of Merit with wins at the Johnnie Walker Classic, Algarve Open, Asian Open and BMW Open.
and being part of the triumphant European Ryder Cup team.
Harrington, who made a 20-foot birdie last year to win this tournament, could not repeat that feat this time, missing a 15-footer that would have force Jimenez into a play-off.
Kingston, who like Harrington finished with a 67, dropped a shot on the last hole after being forced to take a penalty drop after a wayward tee shot.
Jimenez, Harrington and Kingston had begun the day in a three-way lead.
“The only good news from all this is that I needed to finish second to maintain my world number six position in January,” said Harrington. “I putted badly all day and that cost me.”
Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn and Thailand’s Thammanoon Srirot tied for fourth on 10-under-par 270 after final rounds of 69.
Nick Faldo, who began the day one shot off the pace, squandered his chance of a 40th career victory when he collected three bogeys on the front nine.
Faldo, 47, seeking his first tournament win since 1997, bogeyed the first, seventh and ninth holes to drop out of contention. The six-times Major winner finished with a 71 to total eight-under 272 and finish joint-sixth with fellow Englishman David Howell.
Twice former U.S. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain finished strongly, carding a 67 to total seven-under 273 for a share of eighth place.
First-round leader Adam Groom of Australia finished with a disappointing final round score of two-over 72 to total six-under 274.
