Anthony Kim has won the Kiwi Challenge golf tournament despite making a bogey in a playoff, beating fellow American Sean O’Hair to win the US$1 million check at Cape Kidnappers.
Kim shot a 5-under 66 yesterday and was leading over the back nine until O’Hair made a birdie on the 18th hole for a 3-under 69 to force a playoff in the 36-hole exhibition for players under 30.
O’Hair found trouble left of the 650-yard 15th hole and made a double bogey, allowing Kim to win by taking four shots to reach the green and two-putting for a bogey.
Hunter Mahan of the US shot 67 to finish three strokes behind, while Colombia’s Camilo Villegas (72) was another shot behind.
■HONG KONG OPEN
AFP, HONG KONG
Little-known Thai golfer Udorn Duangdecha hit a sensational eight-under par round of 62 to take the first-round lead at the Hong Kong Open yesterday.
Udorn leads by one shot from Robert-Jan Derksen, with a group of four players tied for third on six-under.
Defending champion Lin Wen-tang of Taiwan, who won last year’s title with a playoff victory over Rory McIlroy and Francesco Molinari, had a bogey-free round and is among those clustered together on six-under.
Taiwan’s Lu Wei-chih was in joint seventh place at five-under par, while Wang Ter-chang was in joint 16th place at four-under.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
■AUSTRALIAN MASTERS
AFP, MELBOURNE
Tiger Woods brought the Australian Masters to a standstill with traffic jams, road closures and long queues as he made a memorable first Australian tournament appearance in 11 years yesterday.
The 14-time major winner fired seven birdies and just one bogey as he opened his Australian Masters challenge with a six-under 66 at Kingston Heath.
Woods was in a three-way share of the lead with young South African Branden Grace and Australian James Nitties.
Spectators climbed into trees to get a glimpse of Woods as thousands clamored to watch his every shot in his first Australian tournament since the 1998 Presidents Cup. Car parks were full soon after sunrise and all spectator vantage spots were snapped up as the world No. 1 teed off early in his opening round.
Access roads were closed and accessible only by car pass holders, taxis and local traffic in a bid to cope with the public crush to see Woods play.
Even Woods said he was caught up in the traffic jam from Melbourne to the outlying course, but the all-time golfing great was highly complimentary of the reception he received.
The world No. 1 was reportedly paid a US$3 million appearance fee, partly funded by the Victoria state government, to get him to Melbourne.
Industry sources said the week represented an 11 percent growth in hotel occupancy compared with the same week last year.
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