Garcia triumphs in Malaysia

Last updated: 16th December 2012

Spain's Sergio Garcia produced a master class performance, closing with a spectacular 11-under-par 61 to win the weather-shortened Iskandar Johor Open on Sunday.

The tropical thunderstorms may have created havoc by reducing the tournament to a 54-hole contest, but it was Garcia who showed he was still the one in control after claiming his 24th professional victory with a winning total of 18-under-par 198.

American Jonathan Moore matched Garcia's superlative efforts by also closing with a 61 to secure his second runner-up finish, while Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee signed for his week's best score of 65 to take third place at the Horizon Hills Golf and Country Club.

Overnight leader Daniel Chopra of Sweden had to settle for fourth place after a final 69.

Although Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant signed off with a 65 to take a share of fifth place, the 45-year-old also ended up a winner as he lifted the Asian Tour Order of Merit title for the second time since 2005.

Garcia came into the week as the highest ranked player and will leave his mark by writing a slice of history at the Asian Tour season-ending event.

The Spaniard's closing 61 is the lowest final round by a winner in the Asian Tour history after he blitzed the course with seven birdies in his front-nine and a further four in his inward-nine.

However it will not be counted as an official record as the preferred lies rule was in play.

"It has been a long week obviously because of the weather and I couldn't have asked for a better way to end the week. It has been a great experience as this is my first time in Malaysia and to be able to win is a treat," said Garcia.

"The most important thing about playing under these kinds of conditions is to keep the momentum going especially with so much disruption. It's hard to keep up mentally and I sort of did that yesterday morning where I finished poorly. But today, I came back strongly.I played very solid in my front-nine and made four in a row in the back-nine to give myself a nice solid lead going into the last two holes," he added.