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Pitts plays just one hole and takes Taiwan Open

Andrew Pitts holds the Taiwan Open Trophy yesterday after winning the Asian PGA event at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Taipei County. Pitts was crowned champion after the final round was cancelled because of rain. PHOTO: AFP

Andrew Pitts of the US won a rain-affected Acer Taiwan Open after tournament officials called off the final round because of the poor conditions.

Just one hole was played yesterday as the final trio of golfers from the previous day's third round teed-up for the 18th hole this morning.

The three players, Pitts, Ted Oh and Daniel Chopra sat patiently as their tee-off time was delayed for two hours from 7:30am.

Andrew Pitts putted to his final par on the 18th and that was the end of the tournament.

He finished with a 6-stroke lead and a 19-under total.

The victory was especially sweet for the American as he overcame a streak of second place finishes on the Davidoff Tour, beginning with the Macau Open in both 1999 and 2000, and finally, last year's second place finish in Taiwan's Ericsson Open.

Commenting on his victory an enthusiastic Pitts told a large audience, "There aren't too many people who wanted to win a tournament more than I did. I've played well in the past but unfortunately somebody else just played a little better.

"This week I answered a lot of questions and I know I am capable of winning."

The winner of the NT$10.3 million (US$300,000) event picked up a check for US$50,000 and added, "I am absolutely thrilled. Like I said earlier this week, I struggled in Japan this year so I went home last month and took a lesson from my teacher Kelly Philips in Greensboro, North Carolina, and he got me on the right track.

"I also switched putters this week which also helped. The combination of the lesson, the putter and a lot of hard work meant it all started to pay off just a little bit."

Rounding out the field was Singapore's Mardan Mamat who came off a fantastic third round 67 to earn second place, and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, India's Arjun Atwal, and American Aaron Meeks, who tied for fourth with an 11-under performance.

The biggest shock of the day, however, was when Davidoff Tour Order of Merit leader, Charlie Wi hooked a tee shot out of bounds this morning and ended up with a double bogey on the final hole of his third round.

That was enough to push him down to a joint 13th place finish.

According to Asian PGA officials, a tournament need not be four rounds of competitive play or 72-holes but can be as few as two full rounds, or 36-holes.

A tour official said "a full round of the tournament has to continue if 50% of the players have already completed the round."

Surprisingly, this is only the second time in the history of the Asian PGA-run Davidoff Tour that a tournament has been reduced to 54 holes: the last occurrence being the 1997 Guam Open, which was ravaged by a typhoon.

The Davidoff Tour will remain in Taiwan next weekend as it moves to the Mercuries Masters Tournament, at the Tamshui Golf and Country Club, from Sept. 6 to 9.
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