SUN CITY, South Africa — Tommy Fleetwood saved his finest for final with a final-round 67 to return from behind and retain his title on the Nedbank Golf Problem on Sunday as he ended a three-year winless drought.
The Englishman moved up from a tie for seventh in a single day to complete 11 underneath par total and win by a stroke from New Zealand’s Ryan Fox (68), who hoped to go prime of the season rankings with a victory in Solar Metropolis however simply missed out after making a bogey on the final.
Fleetwood gained in Solar Metropolis in 2019 however was the defending champion after the 2020 and 2021 tournaments have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He stored his nerve when others round him light on the ultimate day, making 4 birdies on his opening 9 and rebounding from a bogey on No. 12 with an unimaginable eagle on the par-5 No. 14 when he holed out from a bunker. He made pars the remainder of the best way residence to grow to be the primary participant since compatriot Lee Westwood in 2011 to win back-to-back titles on the Nedbank.
Fox was the first-round chief after opening with an outstanding 64, elevating his hopes that he may win in Solar Metropolis and overtake Rory McIlroy on the prime of the European rankings forward of the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai subsequent week.
He would have had an opportunity if not for the bogey 5 on No. 18 — his solely bogey of the spherical — that allowed Fleetwood to win. Fox stays second within the season standings behind McIlroy, whereas Fleetwood is fourth heading to Dubai. McIlroy wasn’t taking part in on the Nedbank Problem.
Shubhankar Sharma (69) was third.
Rasmus Højgaard and Thomas Detry had shared the third-round lead however could not maintain on via a ultimate day that was interrupted by rain. Højgaard carded a 4-over 76 to complete tied for eighth whereas Detry’s final-round 77 noticed him tumble to a share of thirteenth.
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald was one other man in with an opportunity on the midway level however his seek for a primary European or PGA Tour title in a decade got here undone over the weekend as he shot 73 and 75 in his ultimate two rounds to be a kind of tied with Detry in thirteenth place.
