Kiradech outlasts Li, Pan shines
Print Edition
Big-hitting Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat eagled the penultimate hole to force a playoff and then prevailed over Chinese teen Li Haotong at the Shenzhen International to claim his second European Tour title yesterday.
The 19-year-old Chinese golfer signed off with a 5-under-par 67 in his regular round to aggregate 12-under, hoping to be the first from his country to win an European Tour event on home soil.
Overnight leader Kiradech, however, had other ideas as the Thai, having dropped four bogeys by then, eagled the 17th to draw level before squandering a putt to win the event on the final hole.
Li failed to sink a much longer putt in the playoff on the same 18th hole while Kiradech birdied it before pumping his fist and roaring in celebration.
“Special thanks to my caddie, he was always pushing me,” the 25-year-old Kiradech, whose only other European Tour victory came at the 2013 Malaysian Open, said. “When we were two behind on the last two holes he said you have not lost, we have not signed the scorecard yet and he was completely right and I just got the job done.”
Li sank six birdies in his strong round but it was not enough in the end.
“I made a lot of birdies again. But the Thai guy played so well. Congratulations to him,” said the teenager.
Briton Tommy Fleetwood threw himself in the title hunt but his third straight round of 69 left him on 11-under overall.
Spaniard Alvaro Quiros fired a 9-under 63 to reach 8-under overall while two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson finished tied 29th at 5-under after signing off with a final-round 65, his best round of the week.
In Sydney, China’s Pan Yanhong birdied the final hole to win the inaugural Australia Classic by one stroke yesterday, capturing her fifth China LPGA Tour victory and first overseas title.
Going into the final hole a shot back, the 31-year-old Pan (69) sank a clutch 13.5-foot putt as leader Rebecca Artis (69) faltered to a bogey five, creating a two-stroke swing that denied the Australian the chance of her first pro win at home.
Pan finished 14-under 202 in the first China LPGA Tour event to be held overseas and that was co-sponsored with the Australian Ladies Professional Golf. The victory was worth A$22,500 (US$17,500) to the Hebei native, whose final round included four birdies and a bogey.
Chin’s Ye Ziqi was third after closing with a 70 to finish four strokes back. Australia’s Sarah Oh, the first-round co-leader, rebounded for a 71 to place fourth, eight strokes off the pace.
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