Sterne wins South Africa golf event

MPUMALANGA, South Africa, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- A 3-under-par 69 Sunday was enough for Richard Sterne to win the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship in his native South Africa.

His overall total at the Leopard Creek golf club in Mpumalanga, South Africa, 17-under 271, gave him his fourth career European Tour tournament title.

Sterne was aided by birdies at the 13th, 14th and 15th holes, and the inability of runners-up Johan Edfors (66) of Sweden and Robert Rock (70) of England to forge consistent late challenges.

Edfors, after making double-bogey at the seventh, made five birdies on his last 11 holes, but could not overcome his early problems.

Rock bogeyed the 14th and parred the closing four holes.

Edfors (66) and Rock (70) finished 16-under 270.

"It was a good finish really," Sterne said. "I hit my iron shots really close (and) I was really happy with the whole week."

Overnight leader Thomas Aiken (75) of South Africa and Spain's Rafael Cabrera Bello (68) shared fourth at 15-under 273.