Rose holds off Bjerregaard in HK
Print Edition
Justin Rose won his first European Tour title in 15 months yesterday, warding off a stubborn challenge from Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark to win the Hong Kong Open by one shot.
The Englishman, who started the final round even with Bjerregaard on 15 under and a four-shot lead over the field, carded an impressive 2-under-par 68 for a 17-under 263. It was his eighth career title on the European Tour.
“I’m very happy to get the job done. Last week I had a chance to win in Napa when I was tied for the lead but I let that one flitter away. I wanted to hang on to this one,” said Rose, the 2013 US Open champion whose last victory on the European Tour came at the 2014 Scottish Open.
“Lucas played incredible golf and I was thoroughly impressed. When you separate yourself from the field like we did, it’s probably a tough one for him to lose. But he didn’t lose it, it’s just that both of us played incredibly well,” added Rose, who has now won in every European Tour season dating back to 2012.
Bjerregaard’s attempt to win his first title was blown away on the 14th hole at the Hong Kong Golf Club when he made a double-bogey to let slip a one-stroke lead over Rose who then took over the lead by one.
Rose, 31, went two shots ahead at the 16th and despite a bogey at the final hole, only his third dropped shot all week, it was enough to ensure victory as the 24-year-old Bjerregaard failed to force a playoff and finished with 69 for a 16-under 264.
European Tour rookie Matt Fitzpatrick of England shot a final-round 69 to finish in a four-way tie for third with Lee Soo-min of South Korea (64), American Patrick Reed (67) and Australia’s Jason Scrivener (68) — all on 11 under and a massive seven shots behind Rose.
India’s Anirban Lahiri who had started in second place, four shots behind, struggled to a 71 to finish tied for seventh.
In Taipei, Lydia Ko cantered to a nine-stroke victory at the LPGA Taiwan Championship yesterday to take back the women’s world No. 1 spot from South Korean Park In-bee.
Ko started the final round with a four-stroke advantage and then carded a 7-under 65 for a total of 20-under, which also made the 18-year-old New Zealander the youngest player to earn 10 wins on the LPGA Tour, taking the honor from Nancy Lopez. The American won her 10th title when she was 22.
“I actually met her in Cleveland a couple of months ago, she’s such an amazing person and amazing golfer so to have beaten her record, it’s an honor,” Ko said after pocketing a check for US$300,000 for the victory.
Ko needed to win or finish second in Chinese Taipei to move ahead of Park, who did not play in the tournament, and she could not have asked for a better start in the final round as she sunk four birdies in her first six holes.
South Koreans Ji Eun-hee (70) and Ryu So-yeon (68) finished tied for second spot at 11-under. Britain’s Charley Hull finished fourth a shot further adrift.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
