Australia’s Andrew Dodt savored the winning feeling for the first time by lifting the inaugural Avantha Masters trophy after carding a final round four-under-par 68 on Sunday.
Dodt’s winning total of 14-under-par 274 was enough for him to win his maiden Asian and European Tour title by a single shot ahead of England’s Richard Finch who closed with a 66 to take second place on 275. Japan’s Tetsuji Hiratsuka posted a 71 to take a share of fourth place alongside Scotland’s David Drysdale and England’s Barry Lane and Richard Bland on matching 276s at the DLF Golf and Country Club.
With as many as seven players starting the final round tied for the lead, including Taiwan’s Chan Yih-shin, the contest at the co-sanctioned event was always going to be a keenly fought one. However, it was the Australian who eventually prevailed by breaking out of the crowded pack with a closing birdie on the par-five 18th for his career breakthrough win.
“To win a professional golf tournament is absolutely huge. I’ve come close a few times and to actually pull it off is a dream come true,” Dodt said.
Following his two top-10s on the Asian Tour last season, Dodt continued his brilliant early season form with two runner-up finishes in Australia and New Zealand last month. Starting the day in tied-eighth, Dodt birdied holes two, six and eight to reach the halfway turn in 33. He bogeyed the 11th hole but went back to take a share of the lead after firing another birdie on the par-three 16th.
However, it was the all-important birdie on the 18th that gave Dodt the outright lead which he held on until the end.
“It was a huge relief when I birdied the 18th. I had a pretty good lie in the rough and I was deciding between which clubs to use. I decided to be more aggressive and hit a pretty good shot but it just didn’t turn,” said Dodt of his second shot which fell into the bunker.
“The bunker was fine as it was kind of a standard bunker shot and I managed to hit a good one,” added Dodt whose bunker shot fell within two feet of the pin which he tapped in for birdie and the win.
“This has been my third week in a roll and I was just hoping for a good week this week. I stayed patient today and did what I had to do and I’m really happy that I won,” a delighted Dodt said.
Chan finished four shots behind Dodt in joint-eighth place.
■PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM
REUTERS, PEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA
Dustin Johnson played a shaky final round but birdied the last hole to defend his Pebble Beach National Pro-Am title with a one-stroke win on Sunday.
Joint overnight leader Johnson’s wayward two-over 74 was enough to see off late challenges from fellow Americans David Duval and J.B. Holmes and made him the first back-to-back winner at Pebble Beach since Mark O’Meara in 1989-1990.
Johnson, whose 16-under total of 270 gave him his third title, has now won in every year since he joined the PGA Tour in 2008, a feat only matched by Tiger Woods in recent years.
Johnson, who won by default last year after leading when the fourth round was washed out, started the day with a shared four-stroke lead with Paul Goydos, but opened his round with a bogey.
After recovering with an eagle on the sixth to regain the lead, he slipped again on the ninth with a double-bogey and another dropped shot on the 12th.
Goydos crashed out of contention on the back nine with a five-hole stretch of three bogeys and a quadruple-bogey nine on the par-five 14th, but Duval and Holmes made late charges.
Duval, who started the day six adrift, stormed back into contention with a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-three 17th, after Holmes birdied the 16th.
Under pressure, Johnson bogeyed the 17th to fall back into a three-way tie with Duval and Holmes going into the last hole.
Duval’s wedge shot from 105 yards on the par-five 18th spun back to the front of the green and the American was unable to hole the 27-foot birdie putt.
Holmes then missed a 13-foot birdie putt to put the tournament in Johnson’s hands.
The big-hitting American threw caution to the wind. After splitting the fairway, he went for the green in two, but instead found a green-side bunker on the right.
Having made only two of seven sand saves in the tournament, Johnson’s wedge shot barely cleared the lip, but settled four feet from the pin.
It was relief rather than elation etched upon his face after he drained the four-footer to win his third title.
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