Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez edged Robert Karlsson of Sweden on the final hole yesterday on his way to a three-under-par 67 and the Hong Kong Open title.
Jimenez, who also won in 2004, had an eagle and five birdies against four bogies at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling to post a total score of 15-under 265.
Both Jimenez and overnight leader Karlsson struggled in the final stretch. Karlsson finished with a double bogey after chipping the ball from the bunker into the rough at the 18th to blow out to two-over 72.
Jimenez was inconsistent in the front nine, firing three birdies but also scoring three bogeys. He hunkered down in the back nine, making a birdie on 11th and an eagle on 12.
The Spaniard takes home a winner's check of US$375,000 from the Hong Kong event, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian and European tours.
Jimenez said he enjoyed the win but felt bad for Karlsson, who led by four strokes going into the final round.
"The only down part is I feel, I have to say for Robert -- the way it finished as he played so well the whole week. He had a double at the last, and it's not the best way to finish as I know he wanted to win," he said.
Karlsson said "a couple decisions at the end of the day cost me a couple of shots."
The Swede shared second place with South Korea's K.J. Choi and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee.
Karlsson, who finished the first three rounds with just one bogey, had three in the final round yesterday, in addition to the disastrous double bogey at the final hole that cost him the title.
Karlsson's compatriot Peter Hanson carded a two-under-par 68 yesterday to place fifth behind the three second-place finishers.
Australian Marcus Fraser, third going into the final round, dropped to seventh after a one-over-par 70 performance.
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