SUN CITY, South Africa — Martin Kaymer held on through the final five holes for a 2-shot victory at the Nedbank Golf Challenge at a rainy Sun City Sunday, earning the German his first title of 2012 and something else to celebrate alongside a momentous Ryder Cup-retaining putt at Medinah. Kaymer finished with an 8-under 280 ahead of South Africa's Charl Schwartzel in second. Kaymer and Schwartzel both closed with 69s, but Schwartzel's bogey on No. 17 after closing to within one eventually gave Kaymer enough breathing space. “It was always tight. Charl played a great round of golf,” Kaymer said, adding he only felt comfortable once his par putt on 18 had dropped to confirm his victory. “I was telling (my caddie) I need a win. I need a win in 2012.” American Bill Haas was third on 3-under, a shot ahead of Kaymer's final-round playing partner, South African Louis Oosthuizen, who was fourth on 2-under. Two-time defending champion Lee Westwood's run at Sun City ended with a 73 for a 1-under 287 total and fifth place. The rest of the 12-man field were all over par through four rounds at a tough Gary Player Country Club layout, where narrow fairways, stubborn rough, gusty winds and — on Sunday — steady rain made scoring consistently difficult. No one shot better than 69 all week. McDowell stays in control Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell edged closer to his first win in two years by ending the third round of the World Challenge at Thousand Oaks, California, with a two-shot lead. The Northern Irishman fired a flawless four-under-par 68 Saturday to post a 13-under total of 203. McDowell's closest challenger was first-round leader Keegan Bradley who matched the day's best round with a six-birdie 67 at a rain-soaked Sherwood Country Club to finish at 11-under. Tournament host and defending champion Tiger Woods was a further three strokes back after narrowly missing a seven-foot birdie putt at the last to card a 69. Arnond wins King's Cup Arnond Vongvanij upstaged heavy favorites Thaworn Wiratchant and Mardan Mamat with a two-stroke victory in the King's Cup in Khon Kaen, Thailand, Sunday to claim his first Asian Tour title. The 23-year-old Thai, who qualified for the Asian Tour in January, shot a final round 64 including birdies on the 16th and 17th. Arnond finished with an overall 22-under 266 at the Singha Park Kohn Kaen Golf Club. Singapore's Mamat (69) and Thailand's Thaworn (68) shared second place, 1 shot behind Arnond. — Agencies
