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July 1, 2013

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Australian Jones triumphs in Japan

AUSTRALIA'S Brendan Jones shot a 4-under 68 yesterday to win the Mizuno Open in Japan and earn a spot in the field for the British Open.

The 38-year-old Jones, who started the final round with a two-stroke lead over South Korea's Kim Tae-kyung, eagled the par-5 No. 6 at the Setonaikai Golf Club in Kasaoka and added five birdies against three bogeys to finish at 19-under 269.

Kim finished second three strokes back after a 69.

Jones collected US$221,000 for his first win in Japan since winning the Sun Chlorella Classic in July 2012. Makoto Inoue was third, six strokes off the pace after a 68.

With his 13th win on the Japan tour, Jones reached US$8.5 million in total earnings to surpass Japanese-American David Ishii as the leading non-Japanese money winner on the tour. "I never imagined I would be able to do something like that," Jones said.

Tetsuji Hiratsuka (68) and Shingo Katayama (72) tied for fourth at 11 under.

In Bethesda, American Roberto Castro chipped in from 80 feet for par at the 18th hole to remain in a four-way tie for the lead after Saturday's third round of the US$6.5 million US PGA National.

Castro, whose best PGA finish is a share of seventh at the 2012 Greenbrier Classic, found the water with his approach on the final hole at Congressional Country Club but plopped the ball over a ridge and curled it into the cup.

"Saving a bogey would have been huge. Making a par is just a bonus," Castro said. "I thought I could just tumble it over the top of the ridge there. I told myself to be aggressive and get it back in there and it came out perfect."

The dramatic shot ended a par-71 round and kept Castro level with countrymen James Driscoll and Bill Haas and Argentina's Andres Romero on seven-under par 206 after 54 holes on a wild day that saw leader after leader falter.

Four players are the most to share a 54-hole US PGA lead this year.

Haas, a four-time US tour winner, had the low round among the co-leaders with a three-under par 68 but the roller-coaster ride featured nine birdies, three bogeys and a triple-bogey at the par-4 11th.

Driscoll also shot a 68 while Romero, whose only US PGA title came at New Orleans in 2008, shot 70. American Jason Kokrak was on 207 with South Korean Charlie Wi and American Tom Gillis on 208.

South Korean rookie Lee Dong-Hwan, who shot 75 to fall out of contention, made an obscene gesture toward a heckler that was caught on cameras after his approach at the 12th hole went beyond the green on his way to bogey.


 

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