The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Fichardt passes ultimate test to make welcome return to winner’s enclosure
South African Darren Fichardt held his nerve to win a fifth European Tour title and continue home dominance of the Joburg Open, which was reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather.
Fichardt carded a closing 68 at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to finish 15-under-par, a shot ahead of England’s Paul Waring and Welshman Stuart Manley.
Manley had birdied the final two holes to complete a third consecutive 67 and set a clubhouse target which looked like setting up a play-off after Fichardt dropped his first shot of the day on the 17th.
However, the 41-year-old from Pretoria then produced a superb pitch from just short of the 18th green to set up a certain birdie and when Waring’s birdie attempt lipped out, Fichardt tapped in to become the eighth home winner in 11 editions of the event.
“It’s good to win again,” said Fichardt, whose last European Tour title came in the Africa Open in 2013. “I’ve been boasting about my putting in interviews and today it just let me down. I couldn’t make a putt but I was glad to see the ball was pretty close on the last.
“The form I have been having the last couple of months has been horrendous, but I decided at the beginning of the year I was going to play as many tournaments as I can and just get my game right and it worked out.
“I’ve got a new swing though that I use on my chipping, and it certainly came in useful. I was surprisingly calm over the one on 18, especially after that bogey on 17, but it certainly proved to me again that the short game and putting is where you score.”
The top three had the added bonus of sealing a place in the Open championship at Royal Birkdale via the Open Qualifying Series, with James Morrison, Brandon Stone and Jacques Kruyswijk finishing in a tie for fourth.
“I’ve been struggling to get into that tournament the last couple of years, but that’s awesome,” added Fichardt, whose last Open appearance came in 2010.
Aberdeen’s David Law carded a final-round 70 to finish in a share of 50th with fellow Scot Marc Warren, some achievement given he only qualified on Wednesday and did not get the chance to play a practice round on either course used during the week.
Grantown’s Duncan Stewart finished in a share of 60th place with Scott Jamieson in a share of 83rd place. David Drysdale was the leading Scot in a share of 23rd place on nine under.