Darren Clarke carded a one under par closing round of 71 to hold off determined challenges from Retief Goosen and Tjaart Van der Walt to capture his first victory of the year in the Dimension Data Pro-Am at the Gary Player Country Club in South Africa.
Rounds of 71, 63, 69, and 71 gave Clarke a 14-under total of 274, two shots clear of the South African duo having gone into the final day with a four-stroke advantage. He made a superb start to his fourth round with four birdies in the first seven holes to move five shots clear of Goosen. But Clarke then dropped three shots in the next two holes as what had promised to be a superb outward half became a one under par 35.
Goosen turned in 33 to reduce the deficit to two shots but Clarke was able to fend him off as the South African went on to card a 69 and a 12-under total of 276 which was matched by Van der Walt, who finished with a 66.
But the victory was not without drama as Clarke had to take a penalty drop on the 18th hole after hitting his ball into water beyond the green and finished with a bogey six. Fortunately Goosen had dropped a shot at the 17th and was unable to convert his eagle opportunity on the last.
Clarke said: "It definitely wasn't what I had in mind. My lay-up finished on a down slope and I knew the wedge approach was going to come out low. But it came out a bit lower than I expected. That was probably the best six I've ever made.”
