PGA European Tour - Tournaments

South African Airways Open

Fancourt GC

South Africa

15 Dec 2005 - 18 Dec 2005

Past Winners

Relief for Retief as Els Misses out on South African 'Double'

18 Dec 2005

Retief Goosen held off a determined challenge from his close friend and compatriot Ernie Els to win the South African Airways Open at The Links Golf Club at Fancourt in George, South Africa – exactly ten years after he last won the world’s second oldest Open Championship. Els, who captured his 21st European Tour title in the the dunhill championship last week, missed his chance of recording back-to-back victories on home soil when he double bogeyed the 12th after pulling his second shot into a water hazard.

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GEORGE, SOUTH AFRICA - DECEMBER 17: Retief Goosen of South Africa plays his approach to the 18th green during round three of the South African Airways Open on The Links course at Fancourt on December 17, 2005. George, South Africa (Photo by Richard Heat©2005 Getty Images

Els Moves Up as Goosen Leads in South Africa

17 Dec 2005

Reuters - Local favourites Retief Goosen and Ernie Els will go out in the final grouping on Sunday after both shot four under par 69s in the third round of the South African Airways Open at The Links Golf Club at Fancourt, George, South Africa. Goosen, on seven under par overall, takes a three shot lead over Els into the final round after England’s overnight leader, Ross Fisher from Wentworth Club, slipped to three under par following a five over par round of 78. Fisher, who held a five shot advantage over Goosen at the halfway stage, is tied third with another South African, Darren Fichardt, who also carded a 69 on Saturday.

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Fisher forges a commanding lead in the South African Airways Open

16 Dec 2005

English rookie professional Ross Fisher continued his impressive early season form to forge a commanding lead at the halfway stage of the South African Airways Open, but former champions Retief Goosen and Ernie Els both moved menacingly into contention after a tough scoring day on The Links at the Fancourt Golf Club in George. While most players struggled, Fisher, who led going into the final round of the Volvo China Open at Shenzhen three weeks ago before finishing in a share of fourth place, bucked the trend and added a 70 to his opening 68 for an eight under par total of 138 to open a significant five stroke gap over his nearest challenger.

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Clark and Fisher Fly High on Opening Day of South Africa Airways Open

15 Dec 2005

Reuters - Defending champion Tim Clark of South Africa and rising Englishman Ross Fisher equalled the course record at the Links at Fancourt to share the lead after the first round of the South African Airways Open on Thursday. The pair fired five under par 68s on the windswept southern Cape coast to match the record held by South African trio Steve van Vuuren, Hennie Otto and Thomas Aiken.

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Els Aims for South African Double

12 Dec 2005

Ernie Els will be targeting a victorious homecoming this week as he heads to The Links at Fancourt in his quest to add the South African Airways Open title to last weekend’s dunhill championship victory and complete his return from injury with a South African double. Els, whose South African residence is in the neighbouring town of George, returned to the winners’ enclosure last week in only his second tournament back since a five month injury break. And having blown the cobwebs away in style the two-time European Tour Order of Merit winner has his sights set on the second oldest national Open in golf.

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