Story highlights Graeme Storm wins South African Open

Beats Rory McIlroy in playoff

McIlroy battled back injury

(CNN) Rory McIlroy's hopes of starting 2017 with a notable victory were thwarted by a golfer whose career was in ruins just two short months ago.

Graeme Storm thought he had lost his European Tour card after the final regular-season event of last year in November, but was given a reprieve when US star Patrick Reed had to give his up because he had not played the required number of tournaments.

Fast forward to this weekend and the 38-year-old Englishman capitalized on his good fortune by beating world No. 2 McIlroy in a playoff at the South African Open.

It elevated him from 251 to 133 in the world rankings.

Storm, whose only other Tour win came at the 2007 French Open, won with a par at the third extra hole after his illustrious opponent missed a seven-foot putt to make a bogey.

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