Australian Peter Lonard finished with an eagle and a birdie to win the season-ending Australasian Tour Championship by one stroke from playing partner Nathan Green today.
Green and Lonard had been overnight leaders on 10-under par 203 after three rounds. Lonard shot a final round of five-under par 66 with a chip-in for eagle on the par-five 17th hole before making a 10-foot putt for birdie on the par-four 18th.His rounds of 67, 67, 69 and 66 gave him a total of 15-under 269 while Green had rounds of 71, 65, 67 and 67 to be 14-under 270.
Green, who earned himself US$265,000 with a hole-in-one on his way to second placing in last week's Australian Masters in Melbourne behind Britain’s Colin Montgomerie, fell short by one stroke for the second successive week in the Australasian championship.
American Jim Benepe had a six-under 65 and Swede Marcus Norgren finished with a 64 to share equal third on 12-under par 272.
Lonard's victory allowed him to grab second place on the Australasian Order of Merit and automatic entry into the British Open with Merit winner Aaron Baddeley and third-placed, New Zealander Michael Campbell. Reuters