January 15, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini
ARGENTINA'S Ariel Canete has won the inaugural Joburg Open two strokes clear of South African Andrew McLardy in second place.
The one million euro (about R9,3-million) tournament was held at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club's east course. The 31-year-old Argentinean led by one stroke going into the fourth round, picked up two birdies on the front nine and three coming in to finish on 19-under-par, a shot clear of McLardy.
The Joburg Open, hosted by the City of Johannesburg in partnership with easyGolf, is one of the three local tournaments on the Sunshine Tour that are sanctioned by the European Tour. The tournament took place over four days with a field of 240 players battling it out on the east and west courses from 11 to 14 January.
Canete sealed his victory with a brilliant up-and-down from a greenside bunker for birdie on the 18th hole, which gave him a two-stroke cushion over McLardy, who equalised his best performance on the European Tour International Schedule following his runner-up spot in Madeira in 2005.
easyGolf's chairman Moss Ngoasheng presents the Joburg Open trophy to winner Ariel Canete. Johannesburg executive mayor Amos Masondo and the City's manager Mavela Dlamini look on
(Photo: e-image)
This is the biggest win of Canete's career and earns him a three-year exemption to the European Tour International Schedule. Speaking after his victory, Canete said that before the tournament he was in Argentina and it was the holidays.
"My category has not been so good and I was sitting there doing nothing. I thought to myself, ‘Let's go to South Africa and give it a try, you never know.' Now I am very, very happy," he said.
Thanking his South African caddie for his club selection, Canete said he had putted very well all week.
Another South African, Hennie Otto, was in third place at 16-under-par after shooting a 67. Fellow South African Alex Haindl briefly threatened the leaders before bogeys on the 14th and 17th holes led him to finish at 13-under-par, along with compatriot Mark Murless.
Earlier in the day Haindl had been one of the biggest movers when 36 players returned to complete their third rounds after Saturday's play was called off in the early afternoon because of thundershowers.
On Wednesday, 10 January, a Pro-Am tournament signalled the opening of the Joburg Open when professional golfers like Charl Schwartzel, David Frost and Doug McGuigan strode the greens alongside up-and-coming golfers like Johannesburg Executive Mayor Amos Masondo, city manager Mavela Dlamini and council chief whip Bafana Sithole.
That tournament was won by Media 3, a four ball team comprising of professional golfer Ian Garbutt and amateur golfers Simon Turck, Grant Winter and Michael Vlismis.
Over the four golfing days, the tournament was broadcast to 300 million homes in more than 26 countries. Given this television coverage, the City of Johannesburg used the tournament to raise its profile as a prime tourism destination.
Proceeds from the tournament, which will take place over the next three years, will be used to construct a driving range and golfing academy in Johannesburg's far north suburbs, catering for disadvantaged communities living on the city's periphery.
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