Sunday 26 November 2017 17:28, UK
Wade Ormsby claimed his first European Tour victory after some late drama in the final round of the UBS Hong Kong Open.
The 37-year-old Australian prevailed by one shot after closing with a two-under-par 68 at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling to finish on 11-under 269.
Ormsby, playing in his 264th European Tour event, looked to be heading for a play-off with Rafa Cabrera Bello after bogeying the 18th hole.
However, the Spaniard also dropped a shot at the last to slip into a four-way tie for second place alongside Sweden's Alexander Bjork - another man to bogey 18 - and American duo Julian Suri and Paul Peterson.
India's S.S.P. Chawrasia, who was bidding to complete a wire-to-wire victory, had to settle for a share of seventh place after his challenge collapsed following a triple bogey at the par-four ninth.
Race to Dubai champion Tommy Fleetwood finished one shot ahead of Chawrasia in sixth spot on nine under after he could only manage a one-under 69 in the final round.
Ormsby started the day one behind Chawrasia but was four off the pace when he reached the turn in level par.
The situation changed dramatically mid-round, though, when Chawrasia had his nightmare on the ninth, hitting his tee shot behind a tree and his second into a hazard before three-putting after a poor pitch.
That opened the tournament up and Ormsby made his move with a birdie at the 10th and another gain at the 14th where he holed a 15-foot putt after an excellent approach shot.
Another birdie at the 17th gave Ormsby a two-shot cushion, but his safety-first approach to the centre of the green at the last saw him three putt just as Cabrera Bello birdied the 17th with a superb 25-foot putt to join him at 11 under.
But the Spaniard, who gets married next weekend, also faltered at the 18th as he found the bunker at the front of the green with his second shot and then missed his eight-foot par putt after splashing out short.
"Unbelievable to be honest. I'm kind of lost for words at the moment," Ormsby told Sky Sports after being handed only the second win of his career, the first coming on the Asian Tour in India in 2013.
"It's definitely [the highlight of my career]. I've played a lot of golf, a lot of golf in Europe, everywhere, and had a few bumps along the way.
"But it's pretty cool to get a win this late in your career. I'm stoked. It means a lot."
Cabrera Bello, who also came runner-up in Hong Kong last year, signed for a 69 to finish alongside Bjork, who had three bogeys on the back nine in his 68 as he also missed out on a chance to claim his maiden victory, on 10 under.
"It's been a great week again," said Cabrera Bello. "I felt that I gave myself a really good chance coming in today again. I've been battling till the last hole.
"There's not really much more that you can ask yourself as a player than to have a chance coming up the last. The coin just didn't fall my side this time."
Peterson carded a flawless 67 and will be rueing some missed chances over the closing holes, as will Suri who had five birdies over the first 13 holes before stumbling with a bogey at the 17th on his way to a 66.
Fleetwood was unable to make any inroads on the leaders after playing par-golf for the first 16 holes until his only birdie of the day at the 17th.
Chawrasia looked to have steadied the ship with a birdie on the 10th after his triple bogey but he then bogeyed four of the next five holes to drop out of contention.
He eventually finished alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez and American Micah Lauren Shin in a three-way tie for seventh place on eight under.
Veteran Spaniard Jimenez, a four-time winner of the event, ended his campaign with a flourish, firing a round-of the-week 63 and promising to celebrate with "my cigar and a bottle of wine on the terrace".
