Andy Sullivan wins Joburg Open

Golf Monthly's Andy Sullivan wins his second trophy in as many months

Joburg Open Andy Sullivan trophy
Andy Sullivan poses with the trophy after winning the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on a score of -17 under par. Credit: Getty Images
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Andy Sullivan produced a final day 66 to win the Joburg Open and claim his second European Tour title.

Andy Sullivan produced a final day 66 to win the Joburg Open and claim his second European Tour title. The Golf Monthly columnist's first title was also in South Africa - at the South African Open Championship at Glendower this January.

Sullivan finished two shots clear of the field. Tied in second were David Howell, Anthony Wall, Kevin Phelan and South Africans Wallie Coetsee and Jaco Van Zyl.

There were three places in the Open Championship available for the first three players in the top 10 who had not already qualified, These spots went to the English trio of Sullivan, Howell and Wall.

The latter two won through to The Open from the second placed tie on the basis of having a higher world ranking then the other joint runners up.

Sullivan had begun the final round three shots behind overnight Coetsee, who had lead after 36 and 54 holes. But five birdies in a front nine of 32 took Sullivan to the top of the leaderboard.

Sullivan briefly lost the lead to Howell when he bogeyed the 11th, but when Howell holed his tee shot into water on the 14th, Sullivan eased himself to the winners enclosure with birdies on the 15th and 18th.

"I played beautifully, probably made three really bad swings all week and they cost me shots each time," Howell reflected after his closing 69.

"I just hit one left on 14 that cost me a shot and then couldn't find the putts coming in.

Sullivan overcame the largest field of the European Tour season thus far - 215 players teed it up on the first day. The Joburg Open uses two courses for the first two rounds.

Joburg Open 2015  Final standings

1 Andy Sullivan (Eng) -17 71 65 68 66 270 € 206,050

2= Wallie Coetsee (SA) -15 66 65 70 71 272 € 80,600

David Howell (Eng) -15 66 69 68 69 272 € 80,600

Kevin Phelan (Ire) -15 67 68 71 66 272 € 80,600

Jaco (Van Zyl (SA) -15 69 67 70 66 272 € 80,600

Anthony Wall  (Eng) -15 67 66 71 68 272 € 80,600

7= An Byeong Hun (Kor) -14 65 72 70 66 273 € 32,803

Jacques Blaauw (SA) -14 67 69 67 70 273 € 32,803

Chris Swanepoel (SA) -14 70 67 67 69 273 € 32,803

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

Roderick Easdale

Contributing Writer Golf courses and travel are Roderick’s particular interests and he was contributing editor for the first few years of the Golf Monthly Travel Supplement. He writes travel articles and general features for the magazine, travel supplement and website. He also compiles the magazine's crossword. He is a member of Trevose Golf & Country Club and has played golf in around two dozen countries. Cricket is his other main sporting love. He is the author of five books, four of which are still in print: The Novel Life of PG Wodehouse; The Don: Beyond Boundaries; Wally Hammond: Gentleman & Player and England’s Greatest Post-War All Rounder.