ICHEON, South Korea: Australia’s Brett Rumford survived a late wobble to win the Ballantine’s Championship in dramatic style yesterday, hitting an eagle on the first extra hole to seal the win.
Rumford blew a two-shot lead on the last two holes of regulation, double-bogeying the 17th and missing the fairway on the 18th before settling for par, leaving him tied at 11-under with Marcus Fraser and Peter Whiteford.
But Rumford recovered his poise on the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, hitting a much better tee shot and landing his second shot just a few feet above the hole before securing a fourth European Tour title.
Scotland’s Whiteford, who had missed a relatively short birdie putt on the 18th to win in regulation at the par-72 Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, South Korea, and Australia’s Fraser both birdied the first extra hole. AFP
