Tommy Fleetwood overcomes sickness, will make repeat eagle to protect Nedbank Golfing Problem

History repeated alone in Sunshine City, as Tommy Fleetwood eagled the 14th gap in the closing spherical to assistance him protect the Nedbank Golfing Problem.

Fleetwood came from behind to earn in 2019, the very last time the party was held due to Covid-19 constraints, and he recurring the feat on Sunday afternoon.

When the motion resumed, it boiled down to a battle amongst Fleetwood and Ryan Fox above the closing holes – as they and third gentleman in the group, Shubhankar Sharma, broke away from the pack.

Fox and Fleetwood have been tied alongside one another on the 18th tee, and it was the latter who created par – to Fox’s bogey – to safe the title for a second time.

“It has been a terrific week,” Fleetwood explained. “I have so a lot of memories of this place, this has extra to that. It was a charming feeling.”

Ultimate Leaderboard

• 1. Tommy Fleetwood, 11-below
• 2. Ryan Fox, 10-under
• 3. Shubhankar Sharma, 9-under
• 4. Richie Ramsay, eight-beneath
• T5. Sebastian Soderberg, 7-beneath
• T5. Christiaan Bezuidenhout, 7-underneath

Fleetwood played golf in the shadows for a few times, and it was some achievement that he even arrived on the 1st tee on Thursday because of to heat stroke and sickness before in the 7 days.

“If it wasn’t for the health practitioner listed here there was no probability I was teeing it up on Thursday,” Fleetwood stated. “I gave him a hug and thanked him and gave his son the winning ball.

“I have to thank him so a lot as there was not a likelihood on Wednesday evening that I was teeing it up on Thursday.”

Fleetwood did tiny correct or wrong for the opening a few rounds, and said on Saturday night that he was finally starting up to sense near to balanced once more.

He started the working day 3 back again of the leaders and made a good early shift with birdies on three of his opening six holes.

Fleetwood’s video game has been trending up for a handful of months, getting gone by means of a trough, and he is extremely at ease playing sawn-off shots with all his irons.

After transferring to the top of the leaderboard with a birdie on nine, he briefly dropped again with a bogey on 12.

But factors turned his way on the 14th, as Fleetwood produced eagle like he did in the last spherical in 2019. Eyebrows ended up lifted when he went for the eco-friendly from way back again with his 2nd shot, and despatched it into the squander place.

The sand in waste locations is much more compacted than regular bunkers, and precision is essential.

Fleetwood located it, as he obtained keep of the ball correctly, in advance of it bounced once and dropped into the gap for an eagle.

Reflecting on the shot on 14, Fleetwood mentioned: “It was a little bit of a clay-y lie, but I felt Ok.

“I am not positive how much earlier it would have gone if it experienced missed on the next bounce, but it came out beautiful and went in and it is that spark that comes about just about every now and yet again when you wander through the door and you win. Sometimes it transpires, other times it does not.”

There was perform to be completed as the impressive Fox went on a operate of birdies to get together with Fleetwood with one particular to enjoy.

Fleetwood, as he did so frequently all 7 days, uncovered the fairway. Fox is a mammoth hitter, but nerves have to have kicked in as he borderline topped his tee shot and did not reach the fairway.

Fox was remaining miles back with his second and could only uncover the tough 40 yards shorter of the environmentally friendly.

Fleetwood uncovered the green and his putt for the acquire missed by a whisker.

Fox had a shot at forcing a perform-off, but could not get up and down and it enabled an emotional Fleetwood to celebrate – albeit without the need of his family members in attendance soon after they experienced to sprint to the airport.

“One of my major targets for a whilst is to win with my entire household listed here,” Fleetwood mentioned. “Frankie [his son] is declaring all the time I hardly ever gain everything, he provides medals household from college for me indicating this is for you mainly because you never win any.

“So I needed to get with them right here for this kind of a lengthy time. They occur and vanish, as they are now at the airport as the kids have exams tomorrow.

“It has been a great week. I have so several memories of this put, this has extra to that. It was a lovely experience.”

Rory McIlroy would have had a eager eye on proceedings, and he will head into the DP Environment Tour Championship at the top rated of the rankings as Fox wanted a acquire to dislodge him.

Rasmus Hojgaard and Thomas Detry started the working day at the top of the leaderboard, but both fell away.

Detry has been actively playing glowing golf for months, but has struggled to convert from promising positions and it transpired yet again on Sunday.

His video game was terribly off-color and 8 bogeys saw him slip back again to 4-below immediately after a spherical of 77.

It was a similar story for rising star Hojgaard. Previously in the 7 days, he built a collection of clutch putts to be certain no momentum was missing.

On Sunday, the petrol ran empty on the greens and it impacted on the rest of his sport. He produced 5 bogeys and a double bogey immediately after discovering drinking water with his approach to the ninth, and it observed him drop back to five-beneath just after a spherical of 76.