The spirit of 76 was alive in South Africa, although this didn’t comport well with either Padraig Harrington or Darren Clarke’s title aspirations. They were both in contention heading into the final round of the Volvo Golf Champions at the Links at Fancourt in George, S.A. – Harrington three strokes behind and Clarke six back.
They both shot 76 and fell out of the running in an event that saw a South African trio knotted at the top of the leaderboard at the end of regulation. Branden Grace, the winner of the previous week’s event, took out both Ernie Els and Retief Goosen at the first extra hole for the victory.
Harrington, looking to put a disappointing 2011 well behind him, never got things going on Sunday. He’d played the front nine rather tepidly in the first three rounds, which saw him shoot 69, 73 and 70. He’d posted four birdies against just one bogey there before the final round, but was three strokes over par through eight holes on Sunday. He earned his first birdie at the ninth, but wouldn’t enjoy another until 16, with an intervening double bogey at 14.
Harrington finished the event four strokes under par at 288, which was eight strokes off the top trio and good for a share of 10th place.
A second-round 68 allowed Clarke to stay in the mix. He sandwiched that with rounds of 74 and 73. His seven birdies on Friday exceeded his total (five) over the two other rounds combined. His front nine on the final day was a mirror image of Harrington’s – three over par through eight and, finally, a birdie at the ninth. Another birdie followed at 10, but then two bogeys washed those away, and he ended up one stroke under par at 291, tied for 20th place.
Michael Hoey, enjoying the fruits of last year’s Alfred Dunhill victory, was in the 35-man field, but was no factor. He finished 16 strokes over par at 308 (78-72-76-82), with only two others below him on the leaderboard.
