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Fantastic fourth for Schwartzel
South African Charl Schwartzel claimed his fourth win at the Alfred Dunhill Championship after securing a four-shot success on Sunday.
The home favourite had previously won the event at the Leopard Creek Country Club in 2005, 2013 and 2014 and he has now finished in the top two in eight of his last 11 appearances in the competition.
The 31-year-old finished on 15-under-par for the tournament after carding a round of 70 and, although he bogeyed two of his opening eight holes, he was able to hold off nearest challenger Gregory Bourdy, who finished on 11-under.
Schwartzel has now become only the third South African to win ten tournaments on the PGA Tour, after Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and he is also the youngest player from that country to achieve the feet.
The 2011 Masters winner had slipped to 50th in the world rankings prior to the tournament, but he is now set to move back into the top 40 and he admitted after his triumph that he was delighted his hard work was beginning to pay off once again.
He said: “It feels good. The way I’ve played the last few years, I’ve been down in quite a slump, I didn’t really see myself coming out and winning. But we’ve put in so much hard work in the last 18 months and it’s frustrating when week-in, week-out you’re playing and it feels like it’s never going to turn.”
The Johannesburg native believes it was fitting that he earned his tenth title in the same tournament where he won his first and he admits that he always enjoys playing in the championship.
He added: “I guess there’s no better fit than for it to turn around here. This place has treated me really well. I got my first win here and now my tenth so I think it’s pretty fitting.”
