South African Anton Haig kept his cool in scorching heat to win the Johnnie Walker Classic after a three-way play-off on Sunday.
The 20-year-old Haig, who birdied the 72nd hole to join the leaders on 13-under-par 275, sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to beat compatriot Richard Sterne and Briton Oliver Wilson and claim his fourth professional victory.
”It feels absolutely amazing … at the start of the week I didn’t think it was possible,” Haig told reporters.
”At the 18th I thought I’d lost the tournament but I played one of the best shots I’ve ever played. What a feeling, a birdie on one of the toughest holes I’ve ever played.”
After carving his tee shot, he was left with 98 yards to the flag over trees from a nasty downhill lie.
Haig smashed a lob wedge to three feet and sank the birdie putt to achieve his first goal of securing his European Tour card for next season.
He also took over from Tiger Woods as the youngest winner of the event tri-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Australasian tours.
”I knew I was good enough. It was just a matter of time before it all came together,” said Haig.
Knuckled down
”I’ve worked hard, knuckled down and I really deserved this. I thought I was playing well enough to finish in the top 10 but I wasn’t thinking about winning.”
Overnight leader Sterne came agonisingly close to winning on the 72nd hole but missed from eight feet.
The 25-year-old topped the leaderboard after 64s on the second and third day but could only finish with a level-par 72. Haig shot a 70 while Wilson carded a 71.
”It was close but what can I do?” Sterne said. ”I played my best but it didn’t go the way I wanted it to go.”
Haig held third place for 17 holes, two shots off the pace as Wilson and Sterne jostled for the lead.
Sterne then bogeyed the 17th before Haig rolled in his birdie at the last.
Former winner Retief Goosen was fourth after a 70 put him on 10-under 278, one stroke clear of former U.S. Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada.
Twice former champion Ernie Els shared sixth place with fellow South African David Frost, Briton Colin Montgomerie and Indian Guarav Ghei. – Reuters