HONG KONG — Australian journeyman Sam Brazel prevailed in a tense final hole shoot-out with runner-up Rafa Cabrera Bello to win the Hong Kong Open by a stroke and capture his first European Tour title Sunday.
The 480th-ranked Brazel struck a sublime approach shot from 175 yards to within eight feet of the flag and calmly rolled in the winning birdie after his Spanish rival missed a longer putt by inches on a glorious afternoon at Fanling.
Brazel’s victory in the co-sanctioned event earned the 37-year-old 311,844 euros ($329,000) and a two-year exemption on the Tour.
“It’s been a long time coming but yeah, stoked,” said an overwhelmed Brazel, cradling the trophy after shooting a two-under 68 to finish with a 13-under total of 267.
“I’d love to come over to Europe, it’d be a great privilege.”
Fellow Australian Andrew Dodt finished third on 11-under with Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, while US Masters champion Danny Willett shot a 66 to finish sixth.
Joint overnight leader with Cabrera Bello, Brazel fell off the pace with bogeys on the sixth and ninth holes but played flawlessly on the back nine.
He drained three successive birdies from the 11th to roar back into contention and jostled with a group of five at the top of a crowded leaderboard over the closing holes.
Cabrera Bello’s hopes of a first European title in four years appeared bleak early after he dropped three strokes on the seventh and eighth holes.
But he dug deep with birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to reel in Brazel on the last.
Dodt also grabbed a share of the lead with a birdie on the par-four 17th but rued a wayward tee shot on the last that left him with a long par putt he was unable to save.
Despite never finishing higher than fourth on the Asian Tour, the bulky Brazel was a model of composure as he upstaged a host of marquee names and saved his best golf for last.
Former US Open champion Justin Rose shot 69 to finish joint 36th on two-under, while fellow Englishman Ian Poulter capped a forgettable week with a 74 that left him five-over for the tournament.
English and Kuchar win Franklin Templeton Shootout
Harris English and Matt Kuchar won the Franklin Templeton Shootout Saturday after shooting a seven-under-par 65 in the final round of the pairs event in Florida.
English and Kuchar’s victory at Tiburon golf Club continues their strong run in the event, which they won in 2013 before finishing runners-up in 2014 and 2015.
The duo clinched their second win in the tournament after prevailing in a nip-and-tuck final round duel with Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker, who had trailed by one shot at the start of the day.
The decisive blow came on the par-five 17th, when English drilled a superb second shot to 15ft to set up an eagle chance.
The 27-year-old from Georgia duly rolled in the putt to put him and Kuchar one-shot clear at 28 under heading to the 18th tee.
Charley Hoffman and Billy Horschel finished two off the lead in third on 26 under after a remarkable 11-under-par round, which was played under the better ball format.
Lexi Thompson and Bryson DeChambeau, meanwhile, finished tied for 11th on 16 under after a final round five-under-par 67.
Thompson, a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour, was only the second woman to compete in the event following Annika Sorenstam’s appearance with Fred Couples in 2006.
