COETZEE BEATS WEATHER FOR TOUR TRIUMPH
GEORGE COETZEE overcame a shaky start, two untimely weather delays, and the challenge of England’s Sam Horsfield, to win the Tshwane Open for the second time.
The South African carded a final round of 67 at Pretoria Country Club to finish 18 under par, two shots ahead of Horsfield.
Coetzee said: “A lot has happened since the last time I held this trophy.
“I broke my ankle and needed to show myself I could win on tour again. After four holes I didn’t think it was going to be my day. But the putter started to wake up on the eighth.
“I started making everything – me and the greens became one.”
Coetzee began the day with a two-shot lead, but bogeyed the third and fourth.
A brilliant display of putting helped him fire six birdies in 10 holes from the sixth, to move into a three-shot lead, with three holes remaining, before play was suspended due to the threat of lightning.
When it resumed, Coetzee parred the 16th and was stood over his second shot on the 17th before a second, thunder-related, suspension.
His eventual approach to the 17th flew over the green for a bogey, with Horsfield (above) making birdie to cut his four-shot deficit in half. But 2015 champion Coetzee birdied the 18th to seal his fourth European Tour title.