Appleby the master on home turf

GOLF AUSTRALIAN MASTERS:STUART APPLEBY ended nearly a decade of waiting for a domestic title when he claimed the Australian Masters at the Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne with an error-free final round of 65.

Appleby finished one stroke clear of overnight leader Adam Bland on 10 under par, starting the celebrations early for the 39-year-old whose wife, Ashley, is due to give birth to their fourth child next week.

Bland missed a 15-foot putt for eagle at the last and with it the chance to secure a play-off as he shot a two-over-par 73.

Third, on eight under, went to Daniel Gaunt who shot 71 after starting the day 10 shots off the pace, and Tiger Woods claimed fourth with a 65 which included two eagles on the back nine.

Bland was close to eagle on the first and led by four, but bogeys at seven and eight saw him fade, and he was joined in the lead by playing partner Gaunt on 13 after he had made up for a double bogey at six with birdies at seven, nine and 10.

A fifth bogey of the round at the 14th saw Bland concede the lead to Gaunt, leaving Appleby a threat playing in the group ahead with Andre Stolz.

Appleby’s fifth birdie of the round on 17 saw him claim a share of the lead as he closed in on his first title on home soil since the 2001 Australian Open.

A birdie at the last left Appleby three clear of Gaunt, whose double bogey at the 16th cost him dear.

Appleby’s final round of 59 which saw him come back from seven shots down to win the Greenbrier Classic on the US PGA Tour in August provided the inspiration for his Melbourne win.

“I was trying to think today about that round and what I was doing,” he said. “I was just trying to be that guy.

“I had to try and somehow find a way to get close enough to the leaders where it might make them change the way they were playing,” Appleby added after winning the tournament’s gold jacket for the first time.

Woods’ 65 meant he ended a calendar year without a victory for the first time in his career. His last win came at last year’s Australian Masters at nearby Kingston Heath.

“I finally got it going at the end but it was too little, too late,” said Woods, who began the last day 10 shots behind and ended with a seven-under-par total of 277, three behind Appleby.