Madsen wins 103rd SA Open
Morten Orum Madsen said he was hoping to give his father, Soren, a special finish and that’s exactly what he did as he shot a five-under-par 67 on Sunday to win the South African Open at Glendower Golf Club.
Madsen began the final round a stroke behind overnight leader and tournament favourite Charl Schwartzel.
The Dane believed he had a chance if he rolled in a couple more putts in the final round, and that’s what he did as he collected five birdies, including decisive ones on the 15th and 16th holes.
“The putter was okay today, definitely better than yesterday, and I drove very well. Down the stretch I made some good putts from inside 10 feet and my dad was as happy as me. It was so special to win in front of him because it’s really tough for him and my mom to just sit at home wondering how I’m doing,” Madsen said after his first European Tour win.
Schwartzel had said he needed something better than an average final round otherwise he’d lose, and that’s also exactly what happened as the world number 22 could only manage a one-under-par 71.
His day included catastrophic sixes at the par-three sixth and the par-four 10th hole.
Before Madsen became the 14th foreign golfer to mug the South African contingent and steal the national open trophy, it looked a near-certainty that Ekurhuleni-based Hennie Otto would win the SA Open for the second time in three years.
But Otto was not able to convert a three-stroke lead with just four holes to play for victory as he followed three successive birdies, which took him to seven-under for his round, with a bogey at the par-five 15th and then a disastrous double-bogey at the par-four 16th.
He parred the last two holes and had to settle for a four-under-par 68 that left him on 17-under overall, tied with compatriot Jbe’ Kruger for second place, two shots behind Madsen.
Kruger, who began the day five shots behind, had a superb start to the final round as he claimed three successive birdies from the second hole. He had a hiccup with a bogey on five, before gaining another shot on the seventh but then bogeying the ninth.
The 27-year-old, who had never contended at an SA Open before, had another hot streak on the back nine, starting with an eagle on the par-five 13th, which was followed by three successive birdies.
The other golfer who gained plenty from the tournament was Italian Marco Crespi, a Tour School graduate who played consistently through all four rounds to finish in a tie for fourth, three strokes behind Madsen and level with Schwartzel.
His prize money of about R681 164 dwarfed his previous biggest pay cheque of R193 759.
Madsen, who confessed to feeling right at home in South Africa, said he had not expected to win because he had spent so much of the round playing in the wake of Schwartzel and Otto.
Madsen was tied for the lead going down the final hole at the Madeira Islands Open in May when his drive found the rough. But the ball was not where Madsen and his caddy were looking, but had somehow got deeper in trouble, 20 centimetres from a tree, leading to a double-bogey and victory for hot new talent Peter Uihlein.
“It turns out a little kid picked up the ball and threw it next to a tree and then said that’s where he had found it. It’s not like I choked or anything, it was just a lot of bad luck all at one time,” Madsen said philosophically.
This time the golfing gods were smiling on him as the challenges of Schwartzel and Otto faded away and the charming Dane showed the composure of champions.
