The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 22 December 2008 /

A miraculous comeback from Richard Sterne at the South African Open means Steve's golf gambling for 2008 ends on a high note.

I signed off on Saturday asking for miracles to finish the year off in style but none were immediately forthcoming.

The third round at the Chevron World Challenge went completely against me on Saturday night when my 'value' in-running pick K J Choi bogeyed three of his first seven holes and pre event poke Boo Weekley's poor play continued.

So my best hope of success was undoubtedly Chapchai Nirat at the Volvo Asian Masters but I didn't set any alarm clocks, choosing instead to record the final round.

I woke at 6.15am anyway so I got up, pressed play and fast forwarded until I saw Chapchai on the first green about ten feet from the pin. For a second I thought we were in for a nice birdie start, but up came the caption 'bogey putt'. That slid by, I sighed and fast forwarded some more. But all I saw was Nirat slipping right out of the frame with bogeys at 3, 5 and 6. The only positive was a birdie on the fourth but he was miles back, and I went back to bed.

When I got up a few hours later I was absolutely amazed to see he'd finished second, losing by just two shots to Singapore's Lam Chih Bing, who before yesterday had been a maiden after eight years on tour.

After a shower and a bit of breakfast, the next event was the South African Open and before the coverage even started on Sky I was cursing Ernest Theodore Els, who after a lamentable 77 was scything his way through the field making birdies at will. By the time he got to his final hole he'd made up eight of the nine shots he was trailing by.

When he reached the par-five 18th in two shots it looked like he might just have a chance if he could make eagle. Then up stepped the Ernie of Saturday and a woeful three putt followed. He posted 12-under and it looked like the layers, some of whom had met the maximum price, were going to be safe.

Rory McIlroy had a dreadful start with double bogeys at the first two holes to give up any chance he had while overnight leader, Lee Westwood, birdied the first and shortened up considerably. I just couldn't resist it and layed him at [1.68]. Now my book looked ugly, but if the Worksop Wonder were to wobble again I'd be OK and it didn't take long. A bogey at the second was soon followed with further dropped shots on the fourth, seventh and eighth.

My in-running pick Retief Goosen came into view briefly and looked the danger but then fell tamely away.

A clear leader was emerging though, Northern Ireland's other young starlet, Gareth Maybin, was starting to take control, he briefly got to 15-under when he birdied the seventh but he gave that shot back on the next.

Challengers came and went but one player was making relentless progress, one of my initial picks, last week's winner Richard Sterne. He started the day six shots behind Westwood and much like Els I didn't think he had a chance, but birdies at the last two holes edged out the Big Easy by one and put him level with Maybin on 14-under. I layed a bit back at [3.5], sat back and hoped for the miracle.

Westwood got back in the shake-up and with a couple of holes left he was just one off the lead. But just when he looked like he might pull a rabbit out of the hat he missed birdie putts on the last two holes from no more than about eight feet.

The commentators on Sky spent most of the day making excuses for him again but the fact is he choked, yet again. And every time he does it that next win slips further from his grasp. He remains one to oppose.

One player that I won't rush to oppose is Gareth Maybin, who was particularly impressive yesterday considering this was the first time he'd been in such a position and he perhaps deserved more than he got. He had a putt for the title on the 18th, but it just lipped out and in the play-off he couldn't match Sterne's birdie and that was that. I had my miracle. Ok, miracle's maybe a tad strong but it was certainly a very pleasant surprise and a lovely way to finish the year.

Given Sterne drifted from [20.0] to [30.0] before a ball was struck this week, I assume because of doubts over a bad back because he claimed after his win that he almost withdrew on Friday and praised the physios. And given he'd been matched, like Els, at [1000.0] in-running, it was fairly miraculous.

Feeling invincible I had a further small bet at the Chevron World Challenge but it was to no avail. I put the mockers on Camilo Villegas, taking [6.8] as he pared the first hole. In no time at all he'd slipped out of the reckoning with a couple of bogeys.

Vijay Singh, available at around [7.0] before the final round began, won impressively from Steve Stricker with a birdie on the final hole. Overnight leader Anthony Kim was somewhat erratic and Jim Furyk again finished weakly.

So that's that, goodbye 2008, I'll be back on January 7th with a preview of the Joburg Open and the Mercedes-Benz Championship, have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

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