In a drama packed finish to the South African Open yesterday, Sweden's Mathias Gronberg birdied the last hole to win the first prize of £97,000
Gronberg fired a closing 67 to secure his first tournament victory since an amazing 10-shot win at the Smurfit European Open at the K Club in 1998.
"Last time I won by a big margin, this time I did it the hard way," said the 29-year-old from Stockholm.
"This is the first time my wife has been with me and it was very special to have her here watching and cheering me on, although I could not see her for the last few holes I was so concentrated.
"The rain break came at a very convenient time for me. I had made two bogeys in a row and nearly made a third on the seventh, but made a crucial putt in the heaviest of the rain to save par.
"We came out after the break and it all started after that. My wife Tara and I were talking about how I had to relax and that's what I did."
Gronberg finished a shot clear of Nick Price, Darren Fichardt and Ricardo Gonzalez, the Argentinian having missed a five-foot eagle putt on the 72nd hole that would have set up a sudden-death play-off.
Five players were tied for fifth on 12 under including Sheffield's John Mellor, who had shot a course-record 63 on Saturday and closed with a solid 69.
A play-off looked likely when Price, who turns 43 later this month, rolled in a curling 35-foot birdie putt on the 18th to join Gonzalez in the clubhouse on 13 under-par. But Gronberg had other ideas, reaching the par-five last in two, narrowly missing his eagle putt but leaving a tap-in birdie for a 14-under total of 274.
Price, the former British Open champion has never won this prestigious tournament - the second-oldest in the world - and admitted he was desperate to do so before he retired.
But despite some last-hole heroics from the popular Zimbabwean, victory eluded him once again as the Swede held his nerve to secure the first prize.
There was still more drama to come, though, with local favourite Fichardt able to tie with an eagle down the last.
It seemed his chance had gone when he had to lay up short of the green. But with Gronberg looking anxiously on, the South African's approach pitched past the flag and spun back to within an inch of the hole, somehow failing to drop.
"Overall I couldn't have asked for more. It's my first week out and I'm really happy," said a fatalistic Price.
"I may not have had the confidence to win over the last five holes today, the conditions were very difficult and a lot of guys had trouble adjusting after the rain delay.
"But I played very well and I'm sure I've got another couple of good years left in me to try and win this thing."
Lee Westwood was also well satisfied with his week's work at 11 under in his first competitive round of the season, finishing alongside Greg Owen of Mansfield and Germany's Bernhard Langer.
Westwood, the 26-year-old world number six, posted a closing 68 - aided by holing a wedge shot from 108 yards on the 14th hole for an eagle - to finish in a tie for 10th place.
"I would have settled for 11 under if you'd asked me at the start of the week," said the Worksop golfer.
"I didn't play as well as 11 under suggested but I wasn't far from winning and there's plenty of improvement."
Preston's Paul Eales suffered a disappointing final day after starting just two shots off the lead, a final round of 74 dropping him back into a tie for 13th with most of the damage done by a double bogey on the fourth.
