South Africa's Rory Sabbatini and Trevor Immelman managed to hold off a spirited challenge from Justin Rose and Paul Casey to win the four million dollar World Golf Championships World Cup. The win is SA's fifth in the 50-year history of the event. Rory Sabbatini and Trevor Immelman nursed a huge lead through Sunday's round of foursomes, and easily held on for a four-stroke victory at the Kiawah Island Resort.

"It's a tremendous honour for both of us to be here playing in the tournament, never mind sitting here as the champions," Immelman said. "I'd like to thank my partner for playing such great golf, and making sure he kept the gray hairs off my head." For Immelman, who won the South African Airways Championship at his home course in January, it was win number two of the season. The 23-year-old, whose mid-season form cost him a place in next week's Presidents Cup in Gorge, was a picture of relief and joy when handed the trophy.

"It was not easy today," said Immelman. "The English came after us and made it difficult, but we hung in there and proved that we are tough." "We needed to keep an eye on what was happening on the leaderboard, something I don't normally do." "But we brought it home and on 18 when we were four ahead I knew we had it. It's a good feeling" That feeling was shared by Sabbatini, who reflected on two crucial moments during the final day that paved the way to victory. The event was supposed to pair the top golfers from their respective countries. But a handful of players withdrew, including Els and Goosen, South Africa's best. Els is ranked third in the world and Goosen seventh entering next week's Presidents Cup in their homeland. Sabbatini is just 71st and Immelman 57th, which didn't seem to matter. "South Africans as a nation are very competitive," Sabbatini said. "It's a small country, (but) we've always been competitive internationally in all sports, and I think golf is just a continuation of that." Immelman and Sabbatini repeated the triumph of Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, who won a four-way playoff in 2001. With five wins, South Africa are second only to the Unites States.