BMW SA Open: Chris Paisley claims first European Tour victory with wife on the bag
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Chris Paisley had two firsts this week: Putting his wife on the bag as his caddie, and winning his first European Tour event at the BMW SA Open.
Paisley carded a final round six-under 66 at Glendower Golf Club to extend his overnight slender one-shot lead to eventually win by three shots over nearest competitor Branden Grace.
The Englishman birdied two of his opening four holes, but was made to work for his win as Grace got off to an explosive start of his own, opening with a birdie and eagle on his first two holes – with Paisley finding himself level with Grace at 17-under by the fifth tee.
Paisley was given relief as Grace double bogeyed the sixth, and the World no. 289 increased his lead further to four shots following birdies at the seventh and 10th holes. His 23rd birdie of the tournament came on the 13th to move to 20-under-par, before posting a final gain on the 15th to reach 21-under.
Grace bogeyed the 12th before responding with an eagle and two birdies from the 13th to 16th, but par-par finishes for both players made sure Paisley had a three-shot cushion as he went on to lift his first European Tour title.
“I just can’t believe it to be honest,” Paisley, who was also full of praise for wife and caddie Keri, told Sky Sports at the trophy presentation.
“I just played great, I played out of my skin. I didn’t think I was capable of playing that well to be honest.
“I can’t say enough about how good a job she did all week. It is her first time as a caddie and she didn’t put a foot wrong. I can’t thank her enough.”
Paisley also paid tribute to his stand-in caddie, saying: “My regular caddie is getting some stick but I just can’t say enough about how good of a job she has done this week and just in life in general.
“She doesn’t know that much about golf but she knows me really well and she knows when I’m going a little quicker than I usually do or getting a bit tight.
“Coming up the last fairway with her next to me was just incredible.”
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