Westwood holds off Karlsson’s charge

SUN CITY, South Africa - Lee Westwood finished with two bogeys and a 1-over 73, but it was still enough to retain his title by two strokes at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Sunday.

The No. 3-ranked Westwood ended with a 15-under 273 total to stay clear of Robert Karlsson in second, despite a final-round charge from the Swedish player that cut Westwood’s commanding seven-shot overnight lead in South Africa.

Westwood made just two birdies on the final day and dropped three strokes over the back nine, but his dominant performance on Saturday - when he shot a course-record 62 - set up victory and only the second back-to-back win at Sun City over the last decade.

“When you’ve got a big lead you’re never sure how to play,” Westwood said. “I tried to just break it down into fairways and greens. That wasn’t possible all the time but I didn’t make any silly mistakes out there.”

American Jason Dufner (69) tied for third with Graeme McDowell (70) on 11-under, while top-ranked Luke Donald was 10 shots off the pace in seventh, closing with a level-par 72 on his return from a five-week layoff after winning the U.S. PGA Tour money list.

Korea’s Kim Kyung-tae was alone in fifth on 8-under.

AP