Golf-Briton Ramsay wins South African Open playoff (Reuters)
December 20, 2009
* Maiden European Tour title for Ramsay
* Indian Kapur beaten in playoff
(adds quotes)
By Richard Asher
PAARL, South Africa, Dec 20 (Reuters) – Britain’s RichieRamsay won the South African Open after defeating Indian ShivKapur in a sudden-death playoff at Pearl Valley Golf Estates onSunday.
The 2006 U.S. Amateur champion’s first European Tour wincame after he and Kapur were tied at 13 under par at the end ofregulation play.
The playoff on the 18th hole was a short-lived affair. Kapurpulled his tee shot left into shrubbery while Scotland’s Ramsaykept his ball out of trouble just off the right edge of thefairway.
Ramsay hit his second to around 12 feet of the pin andtwo-putted for a birdie and the title.
The 26-year-old had started the day five off the lead at sixunder par but the limited progress of the leaders and hisbogey-free 65 meant his early clubhouse mark of 13-under wascompetitive.
“There’s no greater feeling than winning and I’m just aflood of emotions, I’m holding back the tears,” Ramsay toldreporters.
“Things just went for me. But I am a lot more positive now,I go out believing and thinking I can win.”Kapur made a great start with the putter in regulation,after beginning the day three off the lead.
He picked up five birdies in the first nine holes before athree-putt at the 11th briefly set him back. But a birdie at thepar-five 13th took him back to 13 under.
Denmark’s Anders Hansen finished third for the secondsuccessive week on the European Tour, one stroke shy of Kapurand Ramsay.
However, his effort was enough to ensure Hansen the SouthAfrican Sunshine Tour Order of Merit title for 2009.
Overnight leader Pablo Martin, who won last weekend’s AlfredDunhill Championship, struggled with his putter and finishedtied for sixth on 10 under.
The South African Open is co-sanctioned by the European Tourand the Sunshine Tour.
(Editing by Alison Wildey. To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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