None of the five South Africans that made the halfway cut managed to finish their final round under par on Sunday, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
In the hardest conditions the field faced this week, all five South Africans failed to edge their way up the leaderboard.
Starting out earliest was Ernie Els, who could quite conceivably be saying farewell to the tournament as he finishes up on his last year as a past winner, and he moved away from the bottom of those who made the cut with a two over par 74.
The Big Easy was in control of his driver in blustery conditions as he found every fairway in regulation but shot 37-37 after converting those fairways into just half the amount in greens in regulation. His round saw him finish on +7 for event, one shot better than Thomas Aiken’s tally after he folded with a final round 79.
After opening with two bogeys, Aiken brought it back to level with birdies at 4 and 8 before his back nine collapse which saw him make three bogeys in a row, get a reprieve on the 13th but then made bogey and a double to close with a 43.
Brandon Stone matched playing partner Martin Kaymer as the pair both finished one over for the round and the event. Stone’s front nine included two birdies and five bogeys but he restored respectability with three birdies and just one bogey in his last five holes in his first weekend of a Major.
Grace was another who struggled to cope with the course as it flexed its muscles in the wind. The multiple European Tour winner made seven bogeys as he finished with a five over 77 to drop from -1 to +4 in what was a very disappointing outing for a player that usually excels on the grandest stage.
Louis Oosthuizen was the last South African into the clubhouse as he was on track to secure a decent top 30 finish with a one over par 73 on Sunday. His round went by fairly unnoticed with two birdies and two bogeys before a bogey at 15 dropped to him to one over for the day.
Oosthuizen and Sergio Garcia were the only Major champions within reach of the leaders but neither got it going on Sunday leaving a first-timer to win a Major for the seventh time in a row.
Photo: File
