Andrew Parr
Andrew Parr shot a final round 72 to finish 13th at the Joburg Open, his first European Tour event of the year.
The London, Ont., golfer - who held the clubhouse lead after the third day of the rain delayed event - came within two shots of the leaders until trouble struck on the back nine. Parr bogeyed the 13th and double bogeyed the 14th to take him out of contention.
His four day total of 12-under 275 was better than two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, who finished at 10-under par and Masters champion Charl Schwarzel, who missed the cut. He earned the equivalent of $26,400 Canadian for his efforts.
Parr is next scheduled to play in the The Gujarat Kensville Challenge - a Challenge Tour event in India - in two weeks time.
South African Branden Grace played also shot a final round 72 to win his first European Tour title by a single stroke over Englisman Jamie Elson, who catapulted himself into second place with an outstanding nine-under-par 63.
"It's a dream come true," said Grace. "It was pretty tough out there today. I played really nicely, I hit the ball superb I think, and the putter was just cold – I couldn't get the speed of the greens going today. Fortunately at the end of the day it was enough."
Grace began the final round with a three-stroke lead over compatriot George Coetzee and Englishman Richard Finch. They were all playing in the final three-ball after weather delays on the first three days. Finch crashed to a six-over-par 78, three-putting three times on the front nine, to end nine shots off the pace. Coetzee closed to within two shots of the lead with birdies on the fifth, sixth and eighth holes, but the burly South African faded on the back nine after a double-bogey on the par-four 13th when he hooked his approach shot into the water.
Grace, a former member of the Ernie Els Foundation, put together nine straight pars on the back nine to hold off Elson and six golfers who finished in a tie for third on 14-under.
Files from Reuters were used in this report