Jamieson Gets First European Tour Title


The first event on the 2013 European Tour's Race to Dubai didn't get off to an auspicious start. But you can't tell Scott Jamieson that.

The 29-year-old Scot won his first career title in the tour's season opener, the Nelson Mandela Championship, in a playoff after the 72-hole event was reduced to a 36-hole shootout when heavy rains wiped out the first two rounds.

On the second playoff hole (the par-4 18th), Jamieson beat England's Steve Webster at Royal Durban Golf Club in South Africa. After Spain's Eduardo de la Riva was eliminated on the first playoff hole, Jamieson made a par to Webster's bogey on No. 18 for the victory.

Because of the wet weather Royal Durban was reduced 1,600 yards and to a par of 65. Jamieson closed with an 8-under 57. Jamieson needed a birdie on the closing hole to tie Webster and De la Riva at 7-under 123 and force the playoff.

His 57 - a score matched by South Africa's Jaco van Zyl - is the lowest ever recorded on the European Tour, but it won't count as a record because of the course's reduced par.

"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," Jamieson said.

"I've had a nice steady progress the last four years," Jamieson added. "This is my third season on the European Tour so to get off to a winning start is fantastic."

Germany's Maximilian Kieffer, England's Matthew Nixon, Denmark's Morten Orum Madsen and South African Tim Clark shared fourth at 6-under 124.

For all the scores, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2013/tournamentid=2012094/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y.