DURBAN — South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen won the first European Tour event of the calendar year for the fourth consecutive year when he retained his Volvo Golf Champions title at the Durban Country Club Sunday. Oosthuizen carded a final round 68 for a 12-under-par total of 276, one stroke ahead of compatriot Branden Grace. The 2010 Open champion looked to have blown his chances when he recorded a bogey on the 16th to fall a shot behind Grace, but back-to-back birdies in the final two holes put him in front. Overnight leader Tommy Fleetwood of England managed a par round of 72 Sunday to finish two shots behind Oosthuizen and tied third with Dutchman Joost Luiten. Oosthuizen was at a loss to explain his early January form, other than the fact it follows a period away from his clubs. “I think I just take a proper holiday,” Oosthuizen said at the presentation ceremony. Kirk's grabs PGA lead In Hawaii, Chris Kirk sank a nine-foot birdie putt on the last hole to grab a one-stroke lead over fellow Americans Will Wilcox and Harris English after Saturday's third round of the US PGA Sony Open. Kirk's clutch putt completed a round of five-under par 65 to stand on 12-under 198 through 54 holes at the $5.6 million event at Waialae Country club. “I got a few good breaks,” Kirk said. “Holes where I missed the fairways, I got some decent lies in the rough and guessed the fliers just right, which is tough to do out here.” Kirk, who won his first US PGA title at the 2011 Viking Classic, already owns a tour title this season from last November's McGladrey Classic in this first-ever US tour campaign to extend over two different years. After birdies at the second and sixth holes, Kirk closed the front nine with a birdie before taking his lone bogey to begin the back side. He answered with birdies at 12 and 14 and took the lead with his birdie at the par-5 18th. Wilcox birdied the second and par-3 seventh, then opened the back nine with birdies on three of the first four holes. After a bogey at 15, Wilcox closed with back-to-back birdies. English closed the front nine with three birdies in a row, added back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 before taking his third bogey of the day at 16 and closing with a birdie. Americans Jerry Kelly and Jimmy Walker shared fourth on 200, one stroke ahead of a pack that included South African Retief Goosen, Australian Robert Allenby, Japan's Hideto Tanihara and Americans Zach Johnson, Jeff Overton, Brian Stuard and Pat Perez. Reigning Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia struggled to a 71, falling to a share of 27th on 204. Jason Dufner, last year's PGA Championship winner, fired a 67 to share 13th on 202. Johnson, who won last week's Tournament of Champions, is trying to become the first player to win both US PGA Hawaii events in the same year since South African Ernie Els in 2003. John Daly matched Wilcox's 64 for the low round of the day, leaping Daly from making the cut on the number to a share of 18th on 203. — Agencies
