By ,
Published May 02, 2016
Johannesburg, South Africa (SportsNetwork.com) - Andy Sullivan fired a 6-under 66 in the final round Sunday as he came from behind to win the Joburg Open.
Sullivan finished at 17-under-par 270. This was Sullivan's second win in eight weeks on the European Tour. He also won the first event of 2015, the South African Open Championship.
"It's unbelievable. I never imagined it would happen again so quickly," said Sullivan. "Coming down the stretch me and my caddie were loving life again and enjoying it. It seems to be a theme, enjoying my golf and getting the right results at the moment."
Kevin Phelan and Jaco Van Zyl also closed with 66s to grab a share of second place. They were joined at minus-15 by David Howell (69), Anthony Wall (68) and third-round leader Wallie Coetsee (71).
All was not lost for Howell and Wall as they, along with Sullivan, earned spots in the Open Championship at St. Andrews in July.
Former U.S. Amateur champ Byeong Hun An (66) ended alongside Jacques Blaauw (70) and Chris Swanepoel (69) in seventh place at 14-under 273.
The final two rounds were played on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club after the first two rounds were contested on the East and West Courses.
Sullivan started the day three strokes off the lead and fought through a crowded leaderboard that saw several different players grab a piece of the lead during the final round.
After an opening par, Sullivan began his climb up the leaderboard with birdies at the second, fourth and sixth. He was tied for the lead at that point at 14- under with Phelan and Kristoffer Broberg.
Back-to-back birdies at eight and nine moved Sullivan into the lead at minus-16. He was one clear of Phelan as he made the turn.
Sullivan found water at the 11th with his approach. He poured in an 18-footer to save bogey, which dropped him one behind Howell, who birdied three of the last four holes on the front nine.
After three pars in a row, Sullivan birdied the 15th to briefly join Howell in the lead. Howell then dropped one back as he bogeyed the 14th after finding water off the tee.
Sullivan reached the green in two at the par-5 18th, then two-putted for a closing birdie. He walked off with a two-shot lead and waited in the scoring trailer as the final three groups finished.
Howell, who was two groups behind Sullivan, parred the last four holes to share second place.
Phelan, who was six groups ahead of Sullivan, was the first in the clubhouse at 15-under. He wrapped birdies at one and three around a bogey at the second.
The Irishman poured in four straight birdies from the fifth to jump to minus-14. Around the turn, Phelan carded birdies at 12 and 16, while he stumbled to a bogey at the 14th.
Van Zyl was in the group behind Phelan. Van Zyl carded six birdies, four on the front side and two on the back nine, in a bogey-free round.
Wall opened with an eagle at the first. He birdied the fourth, but gave that back as he bogeyed the sixth. A birdie at the eighth helped Wall make the turn at 14-under. He followed birdies at 13 and 14 with a bogey at the 15th.
Coetsee played the front side in even-par with a bogey at the second and a birdie on the eighth to go with seven pars. He faltered to another bogey at the 12th. Coetsee grabbed a share of second place with birdies at 14 and 18.
NOTES: Sullivan, who was the highest ranked player in the field to start the week, earned 206,050 euros for the win ... Howell, who carded a 5-under 66 on the West Course in round one, played the front nine on the East Course at 12- under par for the week, while he played the back nine at plus-2 for the three rounds.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/sullivan-earns-second-win-in-south-africa