Wayne Brett Westner (28 September 1961 4 January 2017) was a South African golfer. He was twice winner of the South African Open and also won twice on the European Tour. In partnership with Ernie Els, they won the 1996 World Cup of Golf, played at the Erinvale Golf Club near Cape Town. Els won the individual event with Westner second and the pair won the team event by 18 shots.
Early life Westner was born in Johannesburg.
Professional career In 1981, he turned professional. He won several events in his home country, including two South African Opens. He spent many years on the European Tour where he won two tournaments and had a best Order of Merit finish of twentieth in 1993. In the 1992 Carroll's Irish Open, he lost to Nick Faldo at the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff. In partnership with Ernie Els, they won the 1996 World Cup of Golf for South Africa. Westner finished second, behind Els, in the individual event and the pair won the team event by 18 shots. He won the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit in 1995/96.
At the 1998 Madeira Island Open, during the pre-tournament Pro-Am, Westner tore ankle ligaments after falling over six feet when a railway sleeper crumbled under him. He played only once more that season, and was never able to recover. He later ran his own golf college, The Wayne Westner Golf College.
Personal life As of 1991, Westner was a born-again Christian.
Westner died by suicide in Pennington, KwaZulu-Natal, on 4 January 2017.
Professional wins (13) European Tour wins (2) No. DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up131 Jan 1993Dubai Desert Classic−14 (69-66-69-70=274)2 strokes Retief Goosen225 Feb 1996FNB Players Championship1−18 (66-67-67-70=270)1 stroke José Cóceres 1Co-sanctioned by the Southern Africa Tour
European Tour playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11992Carroll's Irish Open Nick FaldoLost after concession on fourth extra hole
Southern Africa Tour wins (7) No. DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up15 Feb 1983ICL Tournament Players Classic−15 (71-66-68-68=273)1 stroke Allan Henning231 Jan 1988Southern Suns South African Open−13 (69-70-65-71=275)2 strokes Ian Mosey32 Feb 1991Protea Assurance South African Open (2)−16 (65-70-69-68=272)4 strokes Mark James, Tony Johnstone49 Feb 1991AECI Charity Classic−15 (69-69-70-65=273)3 strokes Tommy Tolles528 Jan 1996San Lameer South African Masters−8 (69-68-70-73=280)3 strokes Patrick Moore, Warren Schutte, Chris Williams64 Feb 1996Nashua Wild Coast Sun Classic−12 (66-68-69-65=268)4 strokes Michael Christie, Greg Petersen725 Feb 1996FNB Players Championship1−18 (66-67-67-70=270)1 stroke José Cóceres 1Co-sanctioned by the European Tour
Southern Africa Tour playoff record (0–2) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11987AECI Charity Classic Mark McNultyLost to birdie on first extra hole21996Hollard Royal Swazi Sun Classic Richard Kaplan
Other South African wins (4) 1989 Southern Africa Tour Winter Championship 1990 PX Pro-Celebrity Classic, Sun City Classic 1992 Wild Coast Sun Classic
Other wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up124 Nov 1996World Cup of Golf(with Ernie Els)−29 (136-144-130-137=547)18 strokes − Steve Jones and Tom Lehman
Results in major championships Tournament198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997U.S. OpenT50The Open ChampionshipCUTCUT71CUTT34CUTCUTCUT Note: Westner never played in the Masters Tournament nor the PGA Championship.
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied
Team appearances Dunhill Cup (representing South Africa): 1994, 1996 World Cup (representing South Africa): 1994, 1996 (winners), 1997 Alfred Dunhill Challenge (representing Southern Africa): 1995 (winners)
References
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