Louis Oosthuizen outduels Charl Schwartzel to win Alfred Dunhill

MALELANE, South Africa — Louis Oosthuizen got here out on high in his final-round duel with shut good friend and fellow South African Charl Schwartzel to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Monday for his first European tour title in 5 years.

Oosthuizen closed with a 3-under 69 to win by 2 strokes, however solely after a nervy end that noticed him make bogey at No. 17 and roll in an extended par putt on the par-5 18th gap after hitting his drive into water.

“Simply received fortunate on this one,” stated the 2010 British Open champion, who completed on 18-under 270.

The climax to the event was pushed again a day after a lot of Sunday’s play was worn out due to stormy climate.

Oosthuizen and Schwartzel, main champions and pals since their days taking part in junior golf, resumed on the eighth gap in a tie for the lead — 3 strokes away from their nearest challenger, Christiaan Bezuidenhout — and with puddles dotted across the course at Leopard Creek Nation Membership due to heavy rain on Sunday.

They had been nonetheless tied with six holes to play, when Oosthuizen made birdies from 10 ft, 30 ft and 6 ft to maneuver right into a three-shot lead.

He gave one again on No. 17 and arrived on the 72nd gap with a 2-stroke lead over Schwartzel, solely to push his tee shot right into a water hazard. He took a drop, chipped into the green and hit his fourth shot to about 25 ft, with Schwartzel on the inexperienced for a birdie alternative from nearer in.

Nonetheless, Oosthuizen holed his putt and pumped his fist, figuring out he’d claimed a tenth win on the European tour and a primary for the reason that South African Open in December 2018.

Schwartzel, who was trying to win the occasion for a fifth time, shot 71 and completed in second place, 2 strokes away from Bezuidenhout.

“I knew I wanted to play effectively — Charl performs very well round this place,” Oosthuizen stated. “I made a couple of putts there in the course of the spherical and received forward of Charl. I used to be in between what to do on 18, and made 5 the exhausting means.”

It means the tour’s three season-opening occasions in South Africa had been all gained by residence gamers, with Dean Burmester triumphing in each the Joburg Open and the South African Open Championship.

Oosthuizen and Burmester are each gamers within the Saudi-funded breakaway LIV Golf sequence.

There may be one other event in Africa — the Mauritius Open beginning Thursday — earlier than the tour takes a break till mid-January forward of occasions within the Gulf area.