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Martin triumphs at Leopard Creek

Brad Morgan

14 December 2009

Spain's Pablo Martin came out to South Africa for a holiday with his sister and included a little work on the side. That work proved to be very rewarding when he claimed his maiden professional victory in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek on Sunday.

Martin's win also made him the first player to win titles on the European Tour (the event is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Sunshine Tour) as an amateur and a professional. He had previously taken victory in the Estoril Open de Portugal.

It marked a stunning turnaround after he had missed seven cuts in succession earlier in the year.

Exemption

Not only did Martin pick up a cheque for €158 500 (approximately R1.74-million), but he also earned an exemption on the European Tour until the end of 2012.

His victory was built upon a stunning second round of nine-under-par 63. It took him into the lead at the halfway mark and he held onto it until the end.

With one hole to play on Sunday, Martin's caddie had to talk him out of going for the 18th green, which is surrounded by water, but common sense prevailed and he laid up. It proved to be a good decision as he took victory by one shot over South Africa's Charl Schwartzel.

'Not that difficult'

He was only 175 yards from the flag. "That's like a seven-iron, or six-iron for me," said Martin. "It's not that difficult a shot."

But caddie James Walton, on his bag for only the second time, dug in his heels and insisted he lay up with a sand-iron. "I told him I can putt it from here to there," laughed Martin.

"He eventually got irritated and told me to listen, because he comes from the LPGA," said Martin, "and I told him he had spent too much time over there."

Schwartzel

Three of Schwartzel's four rounds were better than those of Martin, but he came up just short of making up the gap because of the Spaniard's special 63.

Martin's final score of 17-under-par 271 comprised rounds of 68, 63, 71, and 69, while Schwartzel returned scores of 67, 69, 68, and 68 to finish on 272.

Schwartzel, who was tied for second with Ernie Els after three rounds, two shots behind Martin, went all out for victory, firing at the flags throughout his final round. He was rewarded with five birdies on the inward nine, but three bogeys hurt his chances.

Stumbled

Els, meanwhile, endured a horrible final round. He stumbled to a 77, leaving him on seven-under-par 281 for the tournament, in a tie for 17th.

Welshman Sion Bebb also finished on 281. He was on his way to a strong finish, but endured a nightmare 18th hole. He found the water three times and eventually signed for a 75 after an 11.

Third place went to Denmark's Anders Hansen, three shots behind Martin on 274 after rounds of 68, 70, 68, and 68. That result consolidated his position at the top of the Sunshine Tour's Order of Merit.

Order of Merit

Only Schwartzel has a chance of catching the Dane, with only the South African Open at the Pearl Valley Golf Estate to come. It tees off on Thursday.

One of the biggest rewards for the winner of the Order of Merit is an invitation to the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City where prize money for the 2009 event included $200 000 (approximately R1.5-million) for last place in the 12-man field.

Richard Sterne, who won the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the SA Open in successive weeks in 2008, used those wins to finish on top of the Order of Merit and earn an invite to the 2009 Nedbank Challenge. His form in the latter half of the year had been indifferent, but he finished strongly at Leopard Creek - with rounds of 72, 66, 72, and 66 - to tie for fourth.

LEADERBOARD

• 271 - Pablo Martin (ESP) 68 63 71 69


• 272 - Charl Schwartzel 67 69 68 68


• 274 - Anders Hansen (DEN) 68 70 68 68


• 276 - Richard Sterne 72 66 72 66


• 276 - Dale Whitnell (ENG) 70 68 72 66


• 276 - Robert Rock (ENG) 69 68 70 69


• 276 - Gareth Maybin (NIR) 68 70 67 71


• 277 - Shiv Kapur (IND) 68 71 68 70


• 277 - Michael Lorenzo-Vera (FRA) 71 69 66 71


• 277 - Damien McGrane (IRL) 67 70 68 72


• 278 - Ignacio Garrido (ESP) 72 71 65 70


• 279 - Garth Mulroy 68 73 72 66


• 279 - Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 67 70 72 70


• 279 - Ulrich van den Berg 64 72 71 72


• 280 - Pelle Edberg (SWE) 65 71 72 72


• 280 - Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 66 69 72 73