South
African Open
Durban Country Club
Durban, South Africa
5th - 8th February
1998Par
72 Prize Money £500,000Final
Round Report Final
Round Scores
Third Round Report
Third
Round Scores
Second Round Report
Second
Round Scores
First Round Scores
First Round Report Els
wins third South African Open by three shots Durban,
South Africa, 8th February 1998 - Four birdies on the back nine swept
world number three Ernie Els to a three-shot victory and his third South African
Open title on Sunday. Mixing
three bogies with six birdies on another sweltering day, the 28-year-old South
African carded a closing 69 for a 72-hole total of 273. His
playing partner, David Frost, drew level with a birdie four at the third hole
after being one shot down overnight. But Frost was unable to sustain his challenge
and had to settle for second place on 276 after a final round of 71. After
finishing in the top three of the first two events on the European tour, Els was
delighted finally to win and to remain in the lead on the order of merit. "I
let it slip in Phuket where I was in with a shout and probably should have won.
But to win here, in a tournament which I place high on my list, is really great.
This is the major on the Southern African tour and it's our most prestigious event.
"I really
knew I had to play well today and I felt my game was there. But I expected more
of a challenge from both Frostie and Vijay (Singh)," said Els, who won the
S.A. Open championship in 1992 and 1996. Defending
champion Vijay Singh finished down the field after a last-round 73. Sweden's Patrick
Sjöland was third, four strokes behind Frost, after finishing with a 69. Out
in level-par 36, Els got his game going on the homeward nine and picked up birdies
at 10, 12, 13 and at the last. "Once
I had opened up a four-shot lead after 13, I felt I really had to mess up badly
to lose this one," he said. On Saturday Els had carded birdies at the 15th,
17th and 18th. "I
thought the two big swings in this tournament came at the 12th yesterday -- where
David made double bogey -- and at the 11th today, where I still went one shot
ahead when I bogeyed and he made another double bogey." South
Africa's Nic Henning (71) birdied the last three holes to share fourth spot on
281 with Germany's Bernhard Langer (71) and South African Marco Gortna (70). Zimbabwe's
Mark McNulty (70) and Spanish Ryder Cup star Ignacio Garrido (72) finished in
a two-way tie for seventh place on 282. | 
