Denmark’s Morten Ørum Madsen claimed his maiden European Tour title after overhauling pre-tournament favourite Charl Schwartzel to win the South African Open Championship at Glendower Golf Club.
Madsen compiled a blemish free final round of 67 to finish two shots ahead of South Africans Hennie Otto and JB Kruger at 19-under to win the first event of the 2014 European Tour International Schedule. The 25-year-old, who came into the event ranked 244th in the World, partnered former Masters champion Schwartzel, who led after 54-holes, on Sunday.
Schwartzel was highly fancied to win on home soil, particularly after establishing a three-shot lead over the field after three early birdies in his final round. However, the 29-year-old, who admitted to have been struggling with his swing this week, would make two double bogeys on the sixth and tenth to fall out of the reckoning. Three late birdies from Schwartzel would ultimately see him finish in a disappointing tie for fourth.
However, it was to be Madsen’s day, and the Dane reflected on what has been a dream start to the new European Tour season. “It’s been an amazing day. I don’t really know right now how I feel. It is kind of clichéd to say it hasn’t really sunk in, but it really hasn’t.
”I’m just over the moon. I’m so happy. I mean coming down here, I expected to play well but I didn’t expect to stand here ... right now, that’s for sure.”
On Glendower Golf Club, he added: “I love the golf course. It’s pretty similar to my home course. It’s tree lined and really good greens. I definitely really enjoyed it.”
Madsen, who finished 81st on the Race to Dubai last season, now ascends to the summit of the fledgling rankings for 2014, with his future on Tour secured now for two years.
Winning an event with the history and stature of the South African Open must provide an added thrill for the Dane; with the event having been established all the way back in 1903, with the legendary Gary Player lifting the title a record 13 times.
Afterwards, Madsen reflected on the challenge of competing against a player of Schwartzel’s calibre. “I definitely felt like I could still win, but he looked like he was going to go off and I was just trying to hang on and maybe stay in two or three shots and give myself a chance.
”I had a great back nine but unfortunately for him he struggled. On a couple of holes he had some bad breaks. Luckily for me I was there to capitalise and I did with some nice birdies down the stretch.”
Schwartzel wasn’t the only player to falter on Sunday, with former winner Hennie Otto dramatically losing a four shot lead with just four holes to play. The 2011 champion had raced clear of the pack after brilliantly playing his opening 14 holes in seven-under, before dropping a shot at the 15th that preceded a crushing double bogey on the 16th.
For a brief moment, it looked as though Trevor Fisher Jnr would make European Tour history by becoming the first player to post a round of 59. The South African was an astonishing nine-under through 12 holes for the day, and had joined Schwartzel at the top of the leaderboard with six holes to play. With four more gains to make history, Fisher would go cold on that closing stretch and finish in a tie for seventh.
However, it was to be Madsen’s day, as he begins the 2014 season in perfect fashion by claiming the first event of the European Tour’s South African swing. Next week, the Tour will transfer to the beautiful Leopard Creek for the Alfred Dunhill Championship, where Charl Schwartzel shall defend.