Golf-Australia’s Beck wins Brunei Open after three-way playoff

2009-08-03

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SINGAPORE, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Darren Beck birdied the third playoff hole to win the Brunei Open on Sunday, the Australian claiming a first professional victory after his closest rivals had earlier blown chances to rewrite the Asian Tour record books.

The 31-year-old started the final day six shots off the pace but fired a brilliant closing round of six-under-par 65 for a 13-under 271 total to join India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Thailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit in a three-way playoff.

Boonchu bowed out of contention when he bogeyed the second playoff hole then Beck held his nerve to seal victory on the next hole, sinking a 10-foot birdie putt after Bhullar could only par.

“I was sitting in the locker room and cooling off as I thought that there’ll be no way I could put myself in a playoff,” Beck told reporters.

“It was very nerve-wracking but it’s definitely great to make it to six-under and to win in the playoff.”

Boonchu had been on the verge of becoming the oldest winner on the Asian Tour but the 53-year-old Thai missed his opportunity when he made a bogey at the last regular hole.

“It was good to be competing for the title against these younger players again. It has been a long week but I really enjoyed myself this week,” he said.