Sterne plays it safe
Newly-crowned Alfred Dunhill Championship winner Richard Sterne believes his plan to play the final round “safe” at the Leopard Creek Golf Club was key to success.
The home favourite, who is one of the brightest young prospects to emerge from the South African game in recent years, carded a 69 on day four – an overall total of 17 under par – to secure a title that looked to be heading in the direction of either overnight leader Thomas Aiken or Len Mattiace.
After the front nine holes, both were on course for a close finish between themselves, with the former opening up a four-shot lead at one stage, before bogeys on the ninth, 10th and 18th holes, added to a double-bogey on the 11th saw him end with a 75.
American Mattiace, who led through the opening two rounds, had an even worse lapse with two bogeys and a pair of triple bogeys contributing to a disappointing 77.
However, Sterne admitted that all he wanted to do in his final round was not mess up.
“I actually played very safe today, to be honest,” he said afterwards.
“I didn’t take any of the par-fives on. I didn’t take on 16 either. If I had to, I probably would have.
“But you can throw the tournament away with one shot. I wasn’t really comfortable all week, but I kept the ball in play and my driver was really good.
“I was never in trouble and my iron play was solid and as long as you stay away from the bush you can score well. But it can eat you as well, and it did get me a few times. So I’m just quite happy with the way it all ended.”
The win handed the 27-year-old his fifth win on the European Tour, with his last coming at the Joburg Open at the start of 2008.
But he has struggled since then with 14th place at the Omega European Masters his best position as he failed to make the top 10 in over 20 tournaments played.
He continued: “I had a great start and a great finish. I don’t remember anything else from the middle.
“It (the year) was horrific, so we won’t go there.”
A big challenge for the world number 113 on the final day was overcoming his fear of the par-five 18th, where he shot a triple bogey and double bogey in the last two rounds.
The tricky hole was responsible for Ernie Els throwing away the title last year and also played some part in the downfall of Aiken and Mattiace.
Sterne, who became the first South African to win the title since Els himself in 2005, explained: “All I was thinking was ’just make a par!’ I was thinking ’I’ve got to make par, that’s all I have to do’.
“Obviously, I wasn’t feeling too comfortable on that hole. But I played it exactly how I wanted to. I would have liked to have hit the putt a little closer, but I had to knock in that final putt which I did.
