Durban double for home hope Clarke

SOUTH AFRICAN Tim Clark’s brilliant closing 66 earned him the title of SAA Open champion for the second time.

Despite a final-day charge from Ireland’s Darren Clarke, whose second successive 67 gave him a share of fourth place, it was the home hope who prevailed at the Royal Durban Country Club, winning by six strokes.

Clark won this event in 2002, and by repeating that feat he has moved himself back into the world’s top 50.

Delighted by his victory, secured by playing the last 45 holes of the tournament without dropping a shot, Clark said: “I’m obviously extremely pleased.

“I felt a lot of pressure over here and a lot of people expected me to play well here.

“To be honest I hadn’t played a lot of golf coming into this week. My game felt like it was just getting better and better and this was definitely the best I’ve played this week.”

Besides his £89,000 first prize, Clark also earns a European Tour exemption until the end of 2007.

He made two birdies on the front nine before exploiting his knowledge in the closing holes to finish on 15-under-par 273.

“I played really well on the back nine. I really didn’t look like I was in trouble too much and I even felt that a few more putts could have gone in today,” he said. “To finish strong like that was a great reward.

Dunhill Championship victor Charl Schwartzel wrapped up the Sunshine Tour’s order of merit title with a four-under 68, to take joint second place and leap to the top of the Volvo European Order of Merit.

“I’ve won this order of merit, so maybe we can win the Volvo order of merit. I’m playing well at the moment, so we’ll see where this year takes me to,” Schwartzel said.

Alongside Schwartzel was Frenchman Gregory Havret, who carded a final round of 69 to continue his good from the end of last year.

“I played well out there but there was just too much catching up to do for me. But I felt great out there today and played well, the only thing I was disappointed about was (bogeys) at the 10th and 11th,” he said.

“Those were two big mistakes to make at that time in the tournament and if I hadn’t done that, then who knows.

“But I am pretty happy, I was pretty consistent throughout the week and this gives me a bit of confidence for the season now.

“I finished 11th in China and 12th in Hong Kong but then of course we had the break for Christmas and New Year so it is nice to see that I haven’t lost any of my momentum.”

Clarke was tied for fourth with Englishmen Nick Dougherty, who shot a superb final round of 66, and Graeme Storm.

For a while, David Howell was chasing the eventual winner, but a double bogey on the 16th eventually ended his bid as he sunk back to seven-under and joint eighth.