Sweden's Henrik Stenson shot a four-under 68 on Sunday as he cruised to a nine-shot win ahead of Kenny Perry at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.
Stenson finished with a 21-under 267 total for the second-largest winning margin in the history of the tournament, behind Nick Price's 12-shot triumph in 1993.
![Henrik Stenson, his wife Emma, his daughter Lisa and his manager's daughter Elsa Schombie (bottom R) celebrate after the Sun City Challenge golf tournament December 7, 2008. Stenson won the Sun City Challenge by nine strokes at the Gary Player Country Club on Sunday.[Agencies]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20081209/000802aa2f490aa824ce1d.jpg "Henrik Stenson, his wife Emma, his daughter Lisa and his manager's daughter Elsa Schombie (bottom R) celebrate after the Sun City Challenge golf tournament December 7, 2008. Stenson won the Sun City Challenge by nine strokes at the Gary Player Country Club on Sunday.[Agencies]") |
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Henrik Stenson, his wife Emma, his daughter Lisa and his manager's daughter Elsa Schombie (bottom R) celebrate after the Sun City Challenge golf tournament December 7, 2008. Stenson won the Sun City Challenge by nine strokes at the Gary Player Country Club on Sunday.[Agencies] |
"An eight-shot lead going into the final round made me feel pretty comfortable, and I just went out there and took care of business," Stenson said after receiving the US$1.2 million winner's check. "It was a bit slow in the first nine, but I seem to like the homeward nine here, and I got the birdies going again."
Only two players have posted a better final score in the tournament. South African Ernie Els won with 25-under in 1999 and Zimbabwe's Price finished at 24-under in 1993. Els also had a 21-under total in 2002.
Stenson was unable to use his three-wood after the shaft broke when he was on the 14th tee.
"I finished the last four holes without it," he said.
American Perry had the best round of the day with a seven-under 65 - boosted by an eagle three on the second when he holed his bunker shot from next to the green - to leapfrog Sweden's Robert Karlsson and South African Rory Sabbatini into second on 12-under 276.
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Henrik Stenson kisses wife Emma while she holds daughter Lisa at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City on Sunday. [Agencies] |
Karlsson, the European Tour's Order of Merit winner, finished in third another three shots behind, while Sabbatini struggled with his putting and had to settle for fourth, another stroke back.
Second-ranked Sergio Garcia of Spain finished a steady week on four-under 284 to tie for fifth with Britain's Lee Westwood.
At Daytona Beach, Florida, Michelle Wie earned a spot on the LPGA Tour on Sunday, overcoming a miserable start to shoot a two-over 74 and easily finish among the top 20 players at the Q-school to become a card-carrying member of the tour.
Wie has been playing LPGA Tour events since she was in the seventh grade, drawing the biggest galleries because of her youth and power, but earning little respect from players because of her preferential treatment.
In the 62 tournaments she has played over the last seven years, Wie received 53 exemptions or invitations. The next time Wie tees it up, she finally can feel like she belongs.
"It's a good feeling," Wie said. "I really earned it. I legitimately went through Q-school. I took my medicine. And I got it. It feels good. It's like high school graduation."
Wie, 19, said she will return to Stanford for the winter quarter, but plans a full LPGA schedule next year. Without being a member, she was limited to six LPGA events, plus the US Women's Open and Women's British Open.
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily December 9, 2008)
