Richard Sterne Wins Alfred Dunhill Championship

South Africa’s Richard Sterne has won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek GC in Mpumalanga by a single shot from Sweden’s Johan Edfors and Robert Rock of England.

Richard Sterne
Fergus Bisset
By
published

South Africa’s Richard Sterne won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek GC by a single shot from Sweden’s Johan Edfors and Robert Rock of England.

The diminutive 27-year-old began this calendar year with a win on home soil when he captured the Joburg Open on the 13th of January. And he finished 2008 in similar fashion, firing a closing round of 69 to finish on a total of -17 – good enough to secure his fourth European Tour title.

Sweden’s Johan Edfors made a final day surge up the leaderboard. His closing 66 included five birdies on the back nine and it looked for a time as though his efforts might be enough to force a playoff. After making bogeys at the 10th and 12th, Sterne looked to have played himself out of contention. But, he kept his composure and, with three birdies in a row from the 13th, took control of the tournament.

It was a solid week for England’s Robert Rock. He narrowly retained his card for 2009 after some solid late season performances. Earning a cheque for €92,100 for his efforts at Leopard Creek he's leapt to 17th in the 2009 Race to Dubai.

Pictures of the week: 8-14 December 

The overnight leader Thomas Aiken of South Africa and his playing partner Len Mattiace of the USA fell foul of Leopard Creek’s notorious 18th hole. Both players went for the par-5 green in two but both found the water. Mirroring the actions of Ernie Els 12 months ago, Mattiace then proceeded to hit his fourth shot from the dropping zone only to see it roll through the green and into the water waiting at the back. He went on to record an eight and to drop out of the top-ten in the tournament.

Although Aiken did find the green with his fourth shot he missed the resulting par putt and had to be content finishing back in a tie for fourth with Spain’s Rafael Cabrera Bello.

Alfred Dunhill Championship Leopard Creek GC, South Africa Dec 11-14, purse €1,000,000, par 72

1    Richard Sterne (RSA)    68    66    68    69    271    €158,500 T2    Johan Edfors (Swe)    66    69    71    66    272    €92,100 T2    Robert Rock (Eng)    66    67    69    70    272    €92,100 T4    Thomas Aiken (RSA)    72    65    61    75    273    €45,200 T4    Rafael Cabrera Bello (Esp) 66     71    68    68    273    €45,200     T6    Keith Horne (RSA)    70    69    65    70    274    €32,450 T6    Alan McLean (Sco)    68    74    66    66    274    €32,450 T8    Robert Dinwiddie (Eng)    69    70    68    68    275    €19,350 T8    Oskar Henningsson (Swe) 69     64    69    73    275    €19,350 T8    Michael Jonzon (Swe)    65    72    70    68    275    €19,350     T8    David Lynn (Eng)        68    68    66    73    275    €19,350 T8    Tyrone Mordt (RSA)    68    67    68    72    275    €19,350 T8    Alvaro Velsaco (Esp)    68    69    67    71    275    €19,350

Note: Players in bold signifies Titleist ball usage only

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Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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