Johannesburg [South Africa]: England’s Graeme Storm on Sunday brought an end to his 10-year European Tour title drought after defeating current world number two Rory McIlroy in a South African Open play-off here at the Glendower Golf Club.
Storm won with a par four at the third extra hole after McIlroy bogeyed by missing a seven-foot putt.
Three strokes ahead going into the final round, the Englishman, whose only other triumph came in the 2007 French Open, carded a final-round 71 while McIlroy, second overnight, fired a 68.
Both finished on 270, one stroke ahead of Jordan Smith, who closed with a 68.
The play-off was confined to the 18th and the current world number two twice survived wayward drives to salvage pars, and match Storm.
“I am in shock.What can I say? This is surreal. I have just beaten a golfer who is the best in the world right now,” Storm was quoted as saying by Sport24.
“This is a dream come true after nearly losing my tour card. The whole experience this week has been absolutely incredible, he added after winning a competition first staged in 1893, and the second oldest national golf championship after the British Open. (ANI)