By AP
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty images
January 11, 2009
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) -- Anders Hansen birdied the final hole Sunday to finish at 15-under 269 and beat Andrew McLardy by one stroke at the Joburg Open.
He shot a 5-under 66 at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club East Course to hold off McLardy, who had a 68 and finished second for the second time in three years.
"I played really nice on the front side there hitting a lot of good shots so that was very good," said Hansen, who had six birdies, including four straight from the sixth hole.
Hansen had a 20-footer for eagle on No. 18, but left it three feet short before sinking his birdie putt.
McLardy birdied Nos. 10, 11 and 12 to close in on the leader, but six consecutive pars -- five of which could have been converted to birdies -- left him short.
McLardy also had a 25-foot putt to get into a playoff, but his shot was two feet short.
Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen (74), who started the final round just one shot behind, had nine bogeys -- six on the back nine. But he entertained the crowd with a 240-yard albatross on the 18th.
David Drysdale (69) was third, ahead of Danny Willett (68), Charl Schwartzel (70) and Tyrone van Aswegen (68).
Defending champion Richard Sterne (68) finished in a tie for 12th place. Sterne had been trying to win a third consecutive tournament on the European Tour -- a feat only achieved by Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros.
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