Sterne coasts to victory in Joburg Open

JOHANNESBURG: South African Richard Sterne cruised to a seven-stroke victory over former US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel yesterday in the Joburg Open.
Sterne, runner-up behind Stephen Gallacher of Scotland in the Dubai Desert Classic last weekend, fired an eight-under final-round 64 for a total of 260 in overcast conditions at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.
Pre-tournament favorite Schwartzel, who won the Joburg Open in 2010 and 2011 before relinquishing the title to Branden Grace last year, finished with a 66 for a 267 total over the 6942-meter course.
Chilean Felipe Aguilar (67), South African George Coetzee (67) and Portuguese Ricardo Santos (64) shared third place on 268 in the 1.3 million euro ($1,758 million) event co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Sunshine Tour.
South Africans Thomas Aiken (66), joint overnight leader Trevor Fisher junior (73) and Keith Horne (65) were a shot further back and Italian Lorenzo Gagli (67) and South African Garth Mulroy (67) ended with 270 totals.
The final round at a course in an upscale north-eastern Johannesburg suburb was disappointing with the expected showdown between overnight leaders Sterne and Fisher failing to materialize.
Fisher fell away badly after an eagle on the opening hole and a bogey-free eight-under round brought a sixth European Tour title to Sterne, who has been hampered by back problems.
“I played really good golf today and throughout the tournament — that was probably the best final round of my career,” said Sterne, 31, who missed much of the 2010 and 2011 seasons due to a form of arthritis.
“This is a big year for me. I have got off to such a nice start and hopefully I can keep it going. I desperately want to get back into all the Major championships.
“After so much time out with injury I did wonder whether I was ever going to win again. At one point the pain was so bad that I even wondered if I would ever play golf again.”
Sterne laid his victory foundations on the front nine with five birdies — including three in a row from the sixth — while Fisher followed his eagle with three bogeys and a birdie by the turn.
A further three birdies on the inward half consolidated the advantage Sterne had created while a double bogey on 11 after a drive into trees and a second into a stream spelt the end for Fisher.
Ko youngest winner
of women’s European
Tour event
Meantime, teenager Lydia Ko became the youngest winner of a women’s European Tour golf event when she took victory at the New Zealand Women’s Open in Christchurch yesterday.
The New Zealander cried with joy after winning her third professional title from 12 events at the age of 15 years, eight months and 17 days.
“I didn’t cry at the Canadian Open so I don’t know why I cried here,” Ko said. “I guess it meant more. It is our national open so to win means a lot.”
Ko, who made a three-foot putt on the final hole to finish on 206, one ahead of American Amelia Lewis, beat the record set by South Korean Amy Yang, who was aged 16 years, six months and eight days when she won the Ladies Masters in Australia as an amateur in 2006.
Ko became the third amateur to win on the women’s European Tour, after Gillian Stewart, at the 1984 European Open, and Yang.
“It means a lot and makes it more special to be the first New Zealander to win the women’s Open,” the schoolgirl said. “It is always special to make history. I guess I broke history again.”
Ko, already No. 38 on the world professional rankings, now heads for the Australian Open in Canberra, which starts on Thursday.