Stone wins SA Open

Brandon Stone claimed the South African Open on Sunday for his first European Tour title, becoming the youngest player to lift the trophy since it joined the European Tour schedule in 1997.
Stone was crying on the 18th green at Glendower Golf Club after completing victory at golf's second oldest national open and his tears were completely understandable.
The 22-year-old South African completed a roller-coaster final round of 71 that consisted of seven birdies, six bogeys and only five pars.
It looked as if Stone had blown his chances of winning his maiden European Tour title when he dropped five shots across a seven hole stretch that started on the fifth and ended on the eleventh. However, a crucial birdie at twelve kick-started a very strong finish that brought three more birdies. The South African finished the tournament on 14 under.
Stone understood his success this week to be the product of a lot of hard work that he did on his game during the festive period when others might have been relaxing and unwinding with family and friends.
"I've really been practicing hard during the Christmas and festive period which has really helped," Stone explained.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout was two shots off the pace in the end as he finished second. England's Daniel Brooks finished third while there was a trio of South African players in Retief Goosen, Branden Grace and Justin Walters who were tied for fourth.
Latest
-
PGA Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick: Falling short at US PGA Championship ‘hurts a hell of a lot’
Fitzpatrick carded a closing three-over-par 73 to miss out on the play-off between eventual winner Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris by two shots.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas pays tribute to caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay after his US PGA victory
Phil Mickelson’s former bagman gave Thomas a crucial pep talk after he shot 74 on Saturday.
-
PGA Championship
Tommy Fleetwood confident he is ‘coming out the other side’ after dip in form
Fleetwood finished in a tie for fifth at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Emotional Justin Thomas credits his experience for US PGA victory
Thomas also won the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas eclipses Will Zalatoris in play-off to claim second US PGA title
The former world number one’s victory equalled the biggest comeback in US PGA history.
-
PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy’s Sunday charge at US PGA Championship ends in disappointment
McIlroy’s closing 68 in Tulsa was followed by him declining to speak to waiting reporters.
-
PGA Championship
Paul McGinley says Tiger Woods deserves better than to be a ‘ceremonial golfer’
The 46-year-old withdrew from a major championship for the first time in his professional career at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Championship
Mito Pereira with three-shot lead at US PGA as Tiger Woods withdraws
It is the first time in his career that Woods has withdrawn from a major.
-
PGA Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick relishing chance at securing first major title
A third round of 67 means Fitzpatrick trails leader Mito Pereira by three shots at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Tiger Woods withdraws from US PGA following his worst round at event
The American made the halfway cut with a shot to spare at Southern Hills, but struggled to a nine-over-par 79 in the third round.