Schwartzel continues hot streak
Charl Schwartzel was a runaway winner for the second straight week, coasting to a 12-shot victory Sunday at the Alfred Dunhill Championship on the European Tour in Malelane, South Africa.
The 2011 Masters champion finished with a total score of 24-under-par 264, the lowest at Leopard Creek Country Club. He won by 11 strokes in Thailand last weekend.
Schwartzel won for the eighth time on the European Tour. The South African also captured this tournament in 2004, his first title on the tour.
He entered the final round with a 10-shot lead and closed with a 69. The runner-up was Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg, who finished at 12 under. First-round leader Gregory Bourdy shared third with Scott Jamieson, Garth Mulroy and Andy Sullivan, 13 shots behind Schwartzel.
Schwartzel was surprised that he won by such lopsided margins in consecutive weeks.
“That doesn’t happen often,” he said. “Normally after a win by such a big margin, it’s hard to put up the same show the next week. It’s satisfying to continue that form and play the same sort of golf. I keep talking about consistency, and mine is back where I like it to be.”
Loves team up to win
Davis Love III had a nice pitch shot on No. 18 and son Dru finished off the birdie to capture the Father-Son Challenge title in Orlando, Fla.
With Larry and Josh Nelson already in at 22-under for the two-day scramble, both Loves misfired in trying to reach the green in two at the par-5 finishing hole. Dru, an Alabama freshman who won five Georgia state titles in high school, went long and right near the grandstand at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes. Davis watched his ball roll onto the bank of a greenside pond.
But the elder Love found the right touch on his pitch and his son made the winning putt.
The Loves teamed for an 11-under 61 in the final round.
Garcia cruises to victory
Sergio Garcia won the rain-shortened Johor Open in Johor, Malaysia, closing with an 11-under 61 for a three-stroke victory in the Asian Tour’s season-ending event.
The 32-year-old Spanish star finished at 18-under 198 at Horizon Hills for his second victory of the year and 24th international title. He also won the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship in August.
Garcia had the lowest final round by a winner in Asian Tour history. He birdied seven of the first nine holes to make the turn in 7-under 29, added birdies on 13 and 14 before a long rain delay, then returned to make it four in a row with birdies on 15 and 16.
American Jonathan Moore also shot a 61 to finish second.
Rookie first Down Under
Australasian Tour rookie Daniel Popovic completed an improbable wire-to-wire victory in the Australian PGA, shooting a 3-under 69 for a four-stroke victory in Coolum, Australia.
Popovic finished at 16-under 272 at the Palmer Coolum resort. The Australian opened with rounds of 64, 70 and 69.
Rod Pampling birdied the first six holes to take the lead after nine holes, but dropped four strokes on the final three holes to fall into a tie for second with fellow Australian Anthony Brown.