Schwartzel pounces once again

JOBURG OPEN: South African Charl Schwartzel yesterday coasted to a second successive European Tour victory in his home city when the 25-year-old followed his one-shot Africa Open win last Sunday with a six-stroke triumph at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington.

Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, who let slip a chance to apply real pressure midway through the front nine, chipped in for eagle on the last to tie for second place with Schwartzel’s compatriot Keith Horne, round in a best-of-the-day 64.

The notable double, completed with a polished 66, takes Schwartzel to his best position in the world – possibly as high as 35th depending on what happens on the US Tour.

His fifth European win should also lead to him making a Masters debut at Augusta in April. The top 50 the week before the first major of the season all qualify.

The margin of victory equalled the biggest of last season and Schwartzel said: “It’s been a fantastic two weeks for me. I played good last week and it definitely carried over.”

He will now try to become the first player since Seve Ballesteros in 1986 to win three consecutive European Tour events, but the competition in Abu Dhabi will be a lot stiffer.

The field includes eight of the world’s top 14 – last season’s money list winner Lee Westwood, defending champion Paul Casey, last week’s US Tour winner Geoff Ogilvy, Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer.

Four behind at the start of a round brought forward because of the threat of further storms, Clarke could easily have closed the gap to one on the long sixth, but missed from six feet after Schwartzel had made a 25-footer.

The Ryder Cup star then three-putted the next and there looked only one winner after that, but the closing eagle earned Clarke over €119,750.

Simon Thornton was next best of the Irish, tied for 17th, after finishing with a 69 for nine under par, while a closing two over par 73 left Michael Hoey two shots further back Schwartzel picked up €210,000 and so Westwood will begin his defence of the “Race to Dubai” title already more than €450,000 behind.

US TOUR: American Ryan Palmer coolly birdied the par-five last to regain a share of the lead with playing partner Robert Allenby of Australia after Saturday’s third round of the Sony Open in Honolulu.

One stroke clear at the start of another breezy day at Waialae Country Club, Palmer was twice caught by Allenby and trailed by a shot with six holes remaining before his grandstand finish.

In pursuit of his third PGA Tour title, Palmer reached the 18th green in a regulation two blows and then two-putted for a flawless two-under-par 68.

That left him at 11-under 199 and level with the in-form Allenby who recorded three birdies in a bogey-free 67.

Defending champion Zach Johnson reeled off three consecutive birdies from the par-five ninth on the way to an even 70 and a tie for third with world number three Steve Stricker (69), Davis Love III (68) and Troy Matteson (68).

MASTERS: Amateurs An Byeong-hun of South Korea and Matteo Manassero of Italy are among 16 first-time participants for this year’s Masters field of 91.

An earned his spot at Augusta National by winning last year’s US amateur title while Manassero booked his place with victory at the 2009 British amateur championship.

Also set to make their Masters debuts from April 8th-11th are Britons Simon Dyson and Chris Wood, Japan’s Yuta Ikeda and Australians Michael Sim and Marc Leishman, the 2009 PGA Tour rookie of the year.