Thomas Aiken wins Africa Open

Home player Thomas Aiken defeated England's Oliver Fisher at the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to take victory in the Africa Open at the East London Golf Club in South Africa.

Thomas Aiken wins Africa Open (Getty Images)
Fergus Bisset
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Home player Thomas Aiken defeated England's Oliver Fisher at the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to take victory in the Africa Open at the East London Golf Club in South Africa.

After the pair had tied on a 72-hole total of 20-under-par, Aiken holed from 30 feet for a birdie three on the first extra hole to claim his third European Tour title, but his first in his native South Africa.

"I've been waiting for this for quite some time," he said. "I've won a couple of times overseas but there's nothing like winning in front of a home crowd."

Fisher, who opened his final round with a bogey, recovered well and had a chance to win the event outright on the 72nd hole. But his birdie effort narrowly missed the hole and he could only tie Aiken at the top of the leaderboard. Emiliano Grillo of Argentina was the 54-hole leader, but he suffered a disastrous quintuple bogey nine on the first hole of his final round. He took a penalty drop for an unplayable lie, chipped into a greenside bunker and then took two shots to get out. In the end, he did well to fight back through the round and end the week in a tie for fifth place.

Tied third were America's John Hahn and David Horsey of England. Horsey birdied four of his last six holes but came up just one shot shy of the final total posted by Fisher and Aiken.

With the victory Aiken continued South African dominance in this event. It has yet to be won by a player from outside the host country.

Africa Open East London Golf Club, Eastern Cape, South Africa Feb 13-16, purse €1,000,000 1   Thomas Aiken (RSA)   66   65   66   67   264   €158,500 2   Oliver Fisher (Eng)   66   63   66   69   264   €115,000 T3   John Hahn (USA)      65   61   71   68   265   €59,150 T3   David Horsey (Eng)   66   64   70   65   265   €59,150 T5   Richard Bland (Eng)   64   69   64   69   266   €32,700 T5   Darren Fichardt (RSA)   66   67   67   66   266   €32,700 T5   Emiliano Grillo (Arg)   68   63   62   73   266   €32,700 T5   Jaco Van Zyl (RSA)   69   65   67   65   266   €32,700 T9   Lucas Bjerregaard (Den) 64   67   69   68   268   €18,950 T9   Keith Horne (RSA)   68   69   66   65   268   €18,950 T9   Damien McGrane (Ire)   67   69   67   65   268   €18,950 T9   Ulrich Van den Berg (RSA) 66 68   65   69   268   €18,950

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage Where next? PGA Tour - Bubba Waston wins Northern Trust Open

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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