DURBAN, South Africa, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Ernie Els collected his fifth South African Open Championship title, holding off a determined Retief Goosen to claim a tight, one-stroke victory.
Els posted a six-under-par 66 Sunday, but Goosen nearly caught the three-time major winner. He birdied his last three holes -- including an improbable 50-footer for birdie at the 16th -- and four of his last five, but his 66 came up a stroke short.
The decisive hole for Els turned out to be the 14th, where he sank a 20-foot eagle putt to grab what then seemed an insurmountable four-shot lead.
Goosen, a three-time winner of the South African event, came close but was only able to par the last hole at Durban Country Club, where the field played 34 holes Sunday to make up for rain delays throughout the week.
British Open champ Louis Oosthuizen also fired a 66 in Sunday's final round, taking third at 21-under 267, and Charl Schwartzel (67) finished fourth at minus-18.
Knotted for fifth place were Robert Rock (67) and Romain Wattel (68) at minus-16.
