No better way to start the year. Louis Oosthuizen is back in the winner’s circle after a magnificent display on home turf in the Eastern Cape. Oosthuizen carded a second consecutive 67 to close out the Africa Open at East London on a mighty 27-under-par. A 20-footer for birdie on the penultimate hole ripped the heart out of Tjaart van der Walt’s brave challenge. A bogey was the best he could do affecting a two-shot swing and deciding the tournament.
The win has been coming. Oosthuizen’s victory to retain the trophy is his sixth consecutive top-eight finish on the European Tour. A top-ten at the US Open was the only significant development following his victory at the Africa Open last January. His form turned in October at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and crowned on the shores of the Indian Ocean. With his long hitting and elevated iron play it has not taken much to start the ‘Oosthuizen for the Masters’ ball rolling.
“The 17th was playing really tough with the wind blowing off the right,” Oosthuizen said. “When Tjaart hit it short I aimed for the middle of the green. I had been leaving my putts short all day but I hit it firmly and it rolled really nicely.”
A group of Oosthuizen devotees ringed the final green wearing vests bearing the motif “All Hail King Louis”. Two putts later the crowd did just that. “It’s always nice playing in front of your home crowd. And it was great to defend my title. I tried to put Tjaart under pressure but he did not go away. He played really well. I had to dig deep to win. It is a great way to start 2012.” With the birth of his second child due this month one suspects the year can only get better for Oosthuizen, the early pace-setter in the race to Dubai.
Matthew Baldwin shot a 69 to secure a top-ten finish on his debut as a European Tour rookie. Branden Grace was a shot further back on -16 after a fine 67. David Howell enjoyed his best week for some time, closing alongside South African tyros George Coetzee and Tyrone Ferreira on -14. Chris Wood can be pleased with his week’s work after three months out through injury. Wood closed on -12 with James Kingston and Allan Versfeld.
ISM round of the day belonged to Matthew Nixon, who posted a flawless 66 to end the tournament on -11. America’s European Tour rookie Scott Pinckney found the going tough on the final day but can take huge encouragement from his first engagement after finishing -7.
In Australia, former world amateur no.1 Scott Arnold took his maiden win as a professional at the Victorian Open.
