Defending champion Ernie Els is $2million richer after defeating new European number one Lee Westwood in a sudden death play-off to win the Sun City challenge.
He birdied the second extra hole, the 17th,for the second time on the final day after holing a seven-foot putt. "I think it was the most nervous I've ever been. I can state
that now," Els said.
Westwood's final round of six-under 66 had given the European number one a
total of 268, 20 under par, but Els holed a vital putt for birdie at the 17th
on
the way to a 68 and so force a play-off.
It was the second England-South Africa clash in the space of two days but this time instead of a Rugby Union test match at stake the winner would walk off with the biggest monetary prize in golf.
As a result of a friendly wager, Westwood had already taken money off local favourite Els following England’s 25-17 victory over South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.
But the two-time US Open champion was to have his revenge. "It has been an unbelievable week," said an almost speechless Els after.
"I've never felt like that before. I suppose money does talk."
Els started the round at 16-under par and promptly bogeyed
the par-four first.
In contrast,
Westwood , trailing Els by two shots, birdied the first two holes and the par-five 10th, the par-four
13th, the par-five 15th and the 16th on his way to an inward 32.
On the first play-off extra-hole at the 16th, Westwood
missed a 10-footer for birdie that would have given him the
title after Els had missed a birdie chance from 14 feet.
Asked how he had felt putting to win $2 million, Westwood
said: "Well, you don't get them very often. It (the money)
didn't really cross my mind, to be honest. I was just trying to
win the tournament."
Els's 120-yard approach to the 17th left him five feet away and after Westwood's aggressive putt missed on the left side, Els rolled his home.
Zimbabwe's Nick Price and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn were joint
second on 269, 19-under par.
268 E Els (Rsa) 66 67 67 68 (Els won second playoff hole), L Westwood (Eng) 65
69 68 66
69 N Price (Rsa) 69 66 67 67, T Bjorn (Swe) 70 65 65 69
274 J Huston (USA) 72 67 64 71
276 C Montgomerie (Sco) 69 74 64 69 277 J M Olazabal (Spa) 65 75 67 70
280 S Appleby (Aus) 70 70 71 69, M Cambell (Nzl) 72 68 70 70
