Justin Rose claims first European win

England's Justin Rose came from behind to take his first ever European Tour win in South Africa, when he captured the Alfred Dunhill Championship by two shots in Johannesburg.

The former teenage prodigy fired a seven-under-par 65 to take the lucrative £78,821 first prize and cap a memorable rise to prominence since he took fourth place in the 1998 Open championship.

The 21-year-old turned professional soon after he wowed the crowds with a great run at Royal Birkdale, however struggled badly for two years on stepping up from the amateur ranks.

Last year though he secured four top-ten finishes and, despite failing to impress at last week's Bell's South African Open, he held off a strong field to secure his first victory.

Home favourites Retief Goosen and Martin Maritz could not live with Rose on the front nine, as he bagged five birdies including one at the first.

A bogey on 10 threatened to derail his title challenge, but he responded superbly to birdie 15, 16 and 18 in the searing heat.

US Open champion Goosen will look back at the front nine for his failure to win, three birdies and a dropped shot not enough to keep pace with the young pretender.

He upped the tempo on the back nine though and landed five birdies for a share of second place with overnight leader Maritz, who had a shocking front nine.

The 24-year-old dropped shots at the second, fourth, seventh and 13th to leave him back in the field. A superb last ditch charge though, including eagles on 14 and 16, lifted him up to 18-under-par.

Mark Foster also managed to take a share of second place with a mixed round of 69, birdies on the first, fifth, eighth, 15th and 16th marred by bogeys on the second and 14th.

One thing this tournament will be remembered for is the emergence of some talented youngsters and English qaulifier Sandeep Grewal kept his nerve to take eighth place.

The 20-year-old posted a steady 70 to lie one shot behind the 17-under-par trio of Anthony Wall, Mark Mouland and Paul McGinley.

Wall matched Rose and Goosen with a 65 of his own, however a 71 on Saturday left him with too much to do on Sunday.

Mouland and McGinley both avoided any bogeys, but their putters were not firing as hot as either would have liked down the stretch.

Even though he carded an excellent 63 on Saturday, former US Open champion Ernie Els could not continue his good form as a 70 on the last day left him five shots off the winning score at 15-under-par.

The lowest score of the day came courtesy of Scotland's Alan McLean, the 31-year-old shooting a 64 to leave him one behind Els.

Second round leader Roger Wessels meanwhile, could only muster three birdies in his final round to slip out of contention.

The tour moves on to Australia next and the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth, where Rose will no doubt be looking to continue his winning run.

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