Spaniard Sergio Garcia ended his recent victory drought by winning his second Sun City challenge Sunday after sinking a 15-footer for a birdie at the first extra hole of a sudden-death playoff with South Africa's Retief Goosen.
Earlier the two players had tied on 274, 14-under-par, for the 72 holes of regulation play with Garcia closing with a 70 and Goosen a 69. Victory brings and end to the 23-year-old's win-less spell which saw him drop from 25 places in the world rankings from number six to number 31.
"It's a great feeling to do this especially after a year in which I've struggled to get my swing right, and it looks like I've got it right," said Garcia, who beat Goosen's compatriot Ernie Els on the same play-off hole, the par-three 16th, two years ago when he chipped in for a birdie.
Vijay Singh of Fiji finished third on 277 after a 69. "I started fairly well with a 65 but kind of lost it a bit after that with a 72 and a 71. But it's been a great year and I can't complain about not winning here," said the 40-year-old Singh, who has earned more than seven million dollars in topping the US PGA Tour money-list this year. In the United States he won four times and enjoyed 19 top-10 finishes.
"It was fabulous year. I knocked Tiger Woods off the No 1 spot in America and as I see it I've never played better and I'm looking forward to another big year in 2004," he said.
The day started off in disastrous fashion for Garcia when from the fairway he shanked his second shot at the opening hole, his golf ball careering off sharply to the right. From the rough short and right of the green he pitched and two-putted for an opening bogey and suddenly it was all even between him and Goosen at 11-under.
Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke had the best round of the day, a 67 for a total round of 278.
"I needed a 62 or 63, though, and after going six under through 10 holes it looked possible," said Clarke. "But the putts wouldn't drop after that. I was pleased with the way I played, and I take a lot of confidence in to the Hong Kong Open this week."
Filed by Neil Callanan
