After a tough final round, Matt Jones held on to secure his first victory on home soil at the Emirates Australian Open earning 32 World Ranking Points.
It was a challenging day for Jones who described his golf as sloppy yet he held his nerve at key times throughout the round to ensure he held the Stonehaven Cup.
This is Jones' first win on home soil, and second as a Professional, but it was made even more special by his friends, family and coach, PGA Professional, Gary Barter watching on. It has also seen him earn a place at The Open, July 2016.
PGA Tour of Australasia – Emirates Australian Open
After a tough final round, Matt Jones held on to secure his first victory on home soil at the Emirates Australian Open.
Playing The Australian, his home course, Jones fired rounds of 67, 68, 68 and 73 for a tournament total of 8-under 276.
It was a challenging day for Jones who described his golf as sloppy yet he held his nerve at key times throughout the round to ensure he held the Stonehaven Cup.
This is Jones' first win on home soil, and second as a Professional, but it was made even more special by his friends, family and coach, PGA Professional, Gary Barter watching on. It has also seen him book a place at The Open next July.
Playing alongside Jordan Spieth in the final round, Jones said he was surprised that Spieth's eagle putt on the 18th didn't drop to tie him for the lead and force a playoff.
Joining Spieth in a tie for runner-up was Adam Scott who fired 6-under 65 in the final round to finish on 7-under 277.
Sunshine / European Tour – Alfred Dunhill Championship
It took him two days short of two years, and when victory came again for Charl Schwartzel in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Club on Sunday, it was fitting that it came at his favourite golf course in the world.
He pieced together a workmanlike two-under-par 70 in the final round, giving him a four-stroke edge over runner-up Gregory Bourdy of France, with two other Frenchmen in third and fourth in Benjamin Hebert and the up-and-coming Sebastien Gros.
“I was battling a lot of demons out there,” said Schwartzel after he raised in arms in relief as much as in triumph when he made par on the island green on the 18th of a course where he has won four times and been runner-up on four other occasions – and that’s in 11 starts.
Japan Golf Tour - Casio World Open
23 year old Korean Jung Gon Hwang won the Casio World Open in Japan with a final round of 66 including an eagle at the last seeing him win by one over Ryo Ishikawa .
Hwang won the event in 2012 and has now won three Japan Tour events.
Defending champion, Shingo Katayama, finished alone in third position, three shots behind Ishikawa
Asian Development Tour - PGM MIDF KLGCC Championship
Janne Kaske of Finland rode on a hot start to win his second Asian Development Tour (ADT) title by five shots at the weather-shortened PMG MIDF KLGCC Championship on Saturday.
Kaske opened with four straight birdies before adding four more birdies against one bogey to finish on a superb seven-under-par 64 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club East course.
His winning total of 14-under-par 199 earned him US$8,143 and six valuable Official World Golf Ranking points at the RM200,000 (approximately US$50,000) event which is the penultimate stop on the ADT schedule this year.
Jordan Sherratt of Australia settled for second place following a 67 while Order of Merit leader Casey O’Toole (70) of the United States, Sam Cyr (67), Raphael De Sousa (69) of Switzerland and Thai duo Pijit Petchkasem (68) and Itthipat Buranatanyarat (68) shared third position on 205s.
Kaske’s victory propelled him to seventh position on the Order of Merit, two spots away from earning playing rights in the 2016 Asian Tour season with one more tournament to play. He trails fifth placed Masaru Takahashi of Japan by slightly over US$1,800.
PGA Tour China - Hainan Open
When Sunday began, a player from China winning the Hainan Open seemed likely, especially with the featured grouping of 54-hole leaders Mu Hu and Zecheng Dou playing with two-time Ping An Bank China Tour – PGA TOUR China Series’ winner Xinjun Zhang.
In the end, a Chinese player prevailed, but it wasn’t any of the favorites. Huilin Zhang, anyone?
Zhang, a professional for only three years, a player who was 4-over after 36 holes and tied for 12th with 18 holes to play, shot the round of the day—and the tournament—a 5-under 67 Sunday to come from behind and win at Dragon Valley Golf Club. He finished at 2-under to defeat China’s Tian Yuan by a shot—the only two players to finish under par at a tournament where the wind battered players from Thursday’s first round until the finish.
The win is the second consecutive unlikely victory by a player from China, coming a week after unheralded Haimeng Chao won the Nine Dragons Open. Zhang’s previous-best finish on this Tour was a tie for fourth earlier this year in Beijing, at the Ping An Bank Open. Last year, his first on the PGA TOUR China Series, Zhang, no relation to Xinjun Zhang, only made four cuts in 10 starts and at one point missed five consecutive cuts.
“This tournament has given me a big reward after playing for all these years. This is going to give me a lot of confidence,” explained Zhang after receiving the winner’s trophy. “I’ve played pretty well this year, and it has exceeded my expectations, especially now with this win. I’ve improved a lot."
