Goosen wins Nedbank Challenge

Lee Westwood’s bid to end his 15-month title drought ended in triple-bogey disaster at Sun City today as he fell away from the lead as home favourite Retief Goosen won the Nedbank Challenge.

He has not registered a victory since September 2003’s Dunhill Links Championship but led at the start of the final round and made a steady start to his round before a seven at the eighth hole left his challenge in tatters.

Westwood was wayward with his drive, had to chip out sideways, and then found a greenside bunker with his next shot, from which he took two shots to escape.

Despite a birdie at the next, Westwood’s implosion continued down the back nine, with four dropped shots between the 10th and 15th holes proving ruinous.

Victorious Goosen began his round with a flurry of birdies and once Westwood had dropped his clanger the pressure was off the South African.

Goosen carded a 69 to complete his tournament on seven under, six shots clear of compatriot Ernie Els and Australian Stuart Appleby, who shared second place.

Westwood’s decline was dramatic and after a further bogey at the 17th and a double at the 18th, he completed the course in 80, eight over par for the day and three over for the tournament.

He took a share of sixth place in the 12-man event, alongside American Jay Haas whose compatriots Chris DiMarco and Jim Furyk were joint fourth on level par.

Spain’s Sergio Garcia finished last, with a closing 78 giving last year’s champion an aggregate score of 15 over.