Scott Jamieson wins Nelson Mandela Championship

Scott Jamieson from Scotland overcame England's Steve Webster and Eduardo De La Riva of Spain in a playoff to win the inaugural Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa.

Scott Jamieson wins Nelson Mandela Championship (Getty Images)

Scott Jamieson from Scotland overcame England's Steve Webster and Eduardo De La Riva of Spain in a playoff to win the inaugural Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa.

In a tournament reduced to 36 holes and played over a shortened course at Royal Durban Golf Club, the Scot began the final round six shots off the lead. But the 29-year-old blistered around the modified layout in an eight-under-par 57 to match the clubhouse totals set by Webster and De La Riva.

The three men were left with a long wait to see if any of those still out on the course could beat them. Tim Clark looked like he might manage it, tied at the top with two to play. But the South African double-bogeyed the 17th and ended in a tie for fourth.

After several hours, play was completed with nobody bettering the seven-under-par target set by Jamieson, Webster and De La Riva. So, the trio headed back to the 18th tee to settle the tournament via a sudden-death playoff.

De La Riva was the first to bow out as he bogeyed the first extra hole. Webster and Jamieson both made par and so the Brits went back to the 18th tee.

On the second playoff hole, Webster's second shot headed left towards the practice putting green while Jamieson safely found the green with his approach. The Englishman was unable to get up-and-down from a difficult position and Jamieson two-putted to secure his first European Tour victory.

"To get your name on any European trophy is a fantastic achievement. But it's a little more special when it's for someone like Nelson Mandela," he said. "At the start of the day I probably didn't think I would be standing here holding the trophy; but I knew I needed a fast start and I was lucky enough to get that."

In addition to the trophy and a cheque for more than €150,000, Jamieson was presented with an original portrait of Nelson Mandela, signed by the artist and by the great man himself.

The Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa Royal Durban GC, South Africa Dec 6-9, purse €1,000,000 par 65

1   Scott Jamieson (Sco)      66   57   123   €158,500 T2   Steve Webster (Eng)      63   60   123   €92,100 T2   Eduardo De la Riva (Esp)   62   61   123   €92,100 T4   Max Kieffer (Ger)         62   62   124   €38,825 T4   Matthew Nixon (Eng)      63   61   124   €38,825 T4   Morton Orum Madsen (Den)   60   64   124   €38,825 T4   Tim Clark (RSA)         60   64   124   €38,825 T8   Jaco Van Zyl (RSA)      68   57   125   €19,350 T8   Julien Quesne (Fra)      62   63   125   €19,350 T8   Sam Little (Eng)         62   63   125   €19,350 T8   Colin Nel (RSA)         62   63   125   €19,350 T8   Bjorn Akesson (Swe)      63   62   125   €19,350 T8   Matthew Southgate (Eng)   62   63   125   €19,350

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

Where next? PGA Tour - Kenny Perry and Sean O'Hair win Franklin Templeton shootout

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?