Pearl Valley - the Real Winner

Scotland´s Richie Ramsay held his nerve in a sudden-death play-off with Shiv Kapur from India to win the 99th South African Open Championship at Pearl Valley Golf Estates in the Franschhoek valley in December.

On a day when any one of the top 12 players on the overnight leader-board could have won the second oldest national Open in golf, it was the 2006 US Amateur champion who closed out his first European Tour title at the first play-off hole, becoming only the seventh foreigner and first Scotsman to win this title.

An emotional Ramsay explained how he couldn’t put a price on the win. “To see my name up there with all those great names, like Gary Player and Ernie Els, it’s a lot to take in. It’s a huge honour to win South Africa’s national Open and it will open a lot of doors for me.”
Ramsay had made a strong start to the tournament with an opening 67, but a 75 in round two saw him fade from contention. He fought back with a third round 68 and began the final round three off the pace from overnight leader Pablo Martin on 11-under. “I talk about the power of positive thinking,” said Ramsay. “I didn’t think about a low round. I just picked a shot and went for it. It was a day to play fearless golf.”

Ramsay’s fearless approach delivered a bogey free seven-under-par 65 to set the clubhouse target at 13-under-par 275 and tie Kapur, playing two matches behind. Kapur, with a single bogey on his card, failed to capitalize on a spectacular chip shot at the last when he missed an eight-foot putt that would have given him the win. In the play-off, both players missed the fairway with their drives but Ramsay hit a superb three-wood second, from 260 yards, to within 15 feet, with Kapur barely managing to punch out into the rough. This left the way clear for Ramsay, who pushed his first putt just short of the hole and had a formality tap-in to seal the victory.
“If you’ve got two putts to win, you take them,” said Ramsay, who also predicts that Kapur will win soon on the European Tour. “He played some unbelievable golf there; a very steady golfer. He will become a very tough opponent in the next couple of years.”

The smile stayed, but the magic disappeared for Spain’s Pablo Martin who, although clearly enjoying himself out there, struggled to a one-over-par 73 and a tie for sixth on 10-under-par
278 with Darren Fichardt, the top performing South African on the day, who carded a 66.
The 2009 event was the final staging of the SA Open by Pearl Valley. The past three year’s professional and successful hosting is not only a feather in the cap of Pearl Valley Estates but
for the valley as a whole. Jack Hrad, GM-Operations, said “Members and Owners of Pearl Valley have been very proud to host the event and appreciated the praises of Tour Professionals and organizers for the entire experience - the golf course, the estate, the organization, the enthusiastic crowds, and the off-course enjoyment of the Franschhoek valley and all that it
has to offer. Many players, experiencing the valley for the first time, loved it and expressed disappointment only that they would not be here together again soon.”

The Championship will return to Durban Country Club for its centenary edition in December 2010.