Sam's solid showing at Joburg Open (From Daily Echo)

Sam's solid showing at Joburg Open

5:58pm Sunday 15th January 2012 in Golf

South African's Branden Grace carded a level-par 72 in his final round to win the Joburg Open today and deny Jamie Elson what would have been a remarkable triumph.

Englishman Elson finished with a stunning nine-under-par 63 which gave him the clubhouse lead for much of the afternoon.

But his wait for a mistake from Grace proved in vain as the local player calmly parred his way to victory on Royal Johannesburg and Kensington's East Course.

Grace, the joint overnight leader following a rain-shortened third day, ended up finishing the tournament on 17 under par, a shot clear of Elson and three in front of a group of six players on 14 under.

They were Scottish duo David Drysdale and Marc Warren, and South Africans Jaco Van Zyl, Trevor Fisher Jnr, Dawie Van der Walt and Michiel Bothma.

Hampshire’s Sam Hutsby finished 62nd out of the 67 players who made the cut, adding a final round 73 to earlier rounds of 68, 71 and 75.