JOHANNESBURG (AP) Morten Orum Madsen won his first European Tour title on Sunday as Charl Schwartzel's challenge collapsed in the final round of the season-opening South African Open.
Denmark's Madsen finished with a fine 67 for a 19-under total of 269 and a two-shot victory, overtaking Schwartzel (71) and then Hennie Otto (68) as both South Africans paid for two disastrous holes.
Former Masters champion Schwartzel slumped to a triple-bogey six on No. 6 and then a double bogey on No. 10 to lose his overnight lead at his home open where he's still never won. Otto, the 2011 champion, lost the lead when he went bogey, double bogey on Nos. 15 and 16.
Madsen kept his cool with five birdies and no bogeys to win the first event on the 2014 Race to Dubai over home players Jbe Kruger (65) and Otto. Schwartzel was tied for fourth on 16 under with Italy's Marco Crespi.
"I'm so happy," Madsen said at the trophy presentation. "I expected to play well but I didn't expect to stand here ... right now, that's for sure."