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NewsDay

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Swanepoel wins Zim Open

Sport
South African Chris Swanepoel beat his compatriot Trevor Fisher Jr in a nail-biting sudden death playoff to clinch the Golden Pilsner Zimbabwe Open title at Royal Harare Golf Club yesterday. The burly 27 year-old won at the second extra hole to claim his third Sunshine Tour victory adding to the Eskom Power Cup in 2007 […]

South African Chris Swanepoel beat his compatriot Trevor Fisher Jr in a nail-biting sudden death playoff to clinch the Golden Pilsner Zimbabwe Open title at Royal Harare Golf Club yesterday.

The burly 27 year-old won at the second extra hole to claim his third Sunshine Tour victory adding to the Eskom Power Cup in 2007 and last years Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour at Arabella.

For winning the Golden Pilsner Zimbabwe Open, Swanepoel walked away with R237, 750.00 and a floating trophy.

Its a fantastic feeling to be the Zimbabwe Open champion. I love playing here, its a great golf course, very well laid out and the course was in magnificent condition. Swanepoel said.

I hit a couple of birdies early on and I was playing each shot as if it is my last. I hit a couple of double bogeys, one on the ninth and another on the par three 15th when I missed the green and also the putt. But besides that I was putting unbelievably well and managed 22 putts.

Hopefully Ill continue doing well. I finished 24th on the order of merit last year and Ill just keep it one step at a time, said an elated Swanepoel.

Swanepoel and Fisher had finished tied at 15-under-par-273 during the last day of the tournament with the latter missing a close range par-shot on the eighteenth for the outright win after 72 holes.

The pair could not be separated after the first extra hole before Fisher who was eyeing his fifth Sunshine Tour win missed the fairway twice on the second hole of the playoff to hand Swanepoel a well earned victory.

This allowed, Swanepoel, who had started the day, training Fisher and Ruan de Smidt by five shots a crack at the title after he had shot an eight-under-par 64.

Swanepoel, who is unattached hit six birdies and an eagle on the front-nine before finishing with four birdies and an eagle on the second loop.

While the weekend ended with a heartbreak for Fisher, who led from the second round, it was second-time lucky for Swanepoel as he lost in a playoff to compatriot Jack Roos at the Platinum Classic presented by UD Trucks last month.

Smidt, who had shared the 54-hole lead with Fisher after 54 holes, settled for third place on 13-under-par-275 while Collin Nel was four shots back in fourth place on nine-under-par 279.

Former Zimbabwe Open champion Jean Hugo, Titch Moore and Justin Walters were in a three-way tie for fifth place on eight-under-par 280.

Zimbabwean golfers were yet again made to fight another day before winning on home soil. Tongo Charamba was the highest placed local golfer after finishing in a tie for 21st on two-under-par 286 while Ryan Cairns was a shot behind on 25th.