Lee Westwood finishes with a bang in Bangkok
LEE Westwood hit an impressive final-round 67 to win the Thailand Golf Championship by one shot yesterday.
The former world No 1 moved into contention on day two but was still two shots behind overnight leader Marcus Fraser of Australia on Saturday in Bangkok.
But the 41-year-old Englishman, who won the tournament by seven strokes from Charl Schwartzel in its debut season in 2011, put in a five-under-par round to finish eight-under overall, one shot ahead of both Ryder Cup team-mate Martin Kaymer and Fraser.
Westwood was delighted with his victory and tweeted afterwards: “It’s been a good last day of school” – a nod to his season now being at a close.
Southport’s Tommy Fleetwood was two shots further back in fourth after carding a final-round 70 at Amata Spring Country Club, while defending champion Sergio Garcia finished ninth on two-under after his score of 69 yesterday saw him move up a spot.
Bubba Watson of America ended the tournament in joint 25th after struggling with scores of 76 and 77 in rounds one and three respectively – on the par-72 course – while Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke fared even worse with scores of 75, 75, 73 and 74 meaning he finished in a five-way tie for 50th.
Meanwhile, South African Branden Grace cruised to a wire-to-wire victory on home soil at the Alfred Dunhill Championship after his main rivals failed to reel him in on the final day.
The 26-year-old began the day with just a one-stroke lead over Lucas Bjerregaard but the Dane’s bogey at the first immediately eased the pressure and when Grace birdied the next he had a three-shot cushion.
As Bjerregaard imploded after a triple-bogey six at the short seventh, covering the back nine in 50, former Open winner Louis Oosthuizen, last week’s Nedbank champion Danny Willett and Andrew Johnston all made a bid to challenge but all slipped up when they looked like getting close.
Oosthuizen finished second after a 69 at Leopard Creek Country Club in Malelane but Grace was well clear on 20 under after a four-under round of 68.
Johnston was third on 11 under, with Willett and Trevor Fisher jnr tied for fourth, ten shots behind the winner.
“It’s been a phenomenal week,” said Grace, who becomes the first player to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
“It’s been a long year, a hard year, but now it’s a fairytale ending just before Christmas.
“One of the main things this week has been the driving; I just put a new driver in the bag in Dubai and that’s been the key this week.”