Holman triumphs after playoff
Nathan Holman has won the Australian PGA Championship after coming out on top of a three-way play-off with Harold Varner III and Dylan Frittelli.
Sunday's finale meant a play-off was needed to decide the winner for the second successive year, after Greg Chalmers, Adam Scott and Wade Ormsby battled it out over seven holes in 2014.
Unlike last year, though, only one additional hole was needed to decide the outcome this time around.
On the difficult 18th hole at Royal Pines, American Varner and South Africa's Frittelli both made bogeys, while Victoria's Holman kept his nerve to make par and with that, continued Australia's dominance at the event. An Australian has won the PGA Championship title ever year since 1989, when New Zealand's Greg Turner triumphed.
The top trio all finished on level par in the difficult, windy conditions, with Holman (73) missing out on the victory on the 72nd hole when he narrowly missed a nine-footer for par. Varner and Frittelli both notched 75s.
Having made a double-bogey on the first, Holman looked poised to win the title much earlier in the round, until nerves set in during the last couple of holes, leading to a bogey-bogey finish.
The 20-year-old former South African Zander Lombard, who was tied for the lead going into the final round along with Varner and Frittelli, finished in fourth place after carding a final round 76, which saw him finish on one-over.
Local youngster Cameron Smith (73) shared the lead with Varner early in the round, but after notching three bogeys on the back nine, he had to settle for five place on two-over.
Only six of the 71 players in the field were able to break par on Sunday, with Adam Stephens and Colin Nel (70s) the best of the lot.
Latest
-
NewsSweden’s Kristoffer Broberg holds a narrow halfway lead in the Dutch Open
Nine birdies helped him to a score of 64 in the second round at Bernardus Golf.
-
NewsAny rest for Rory and will practice make US perfect? – Ryder Cup talking points
The United States will be hoping to make the most of home advantage at Whistling Straits.
-
NewsNew-look USA aiming to reclaim Ryder Cup against experienced-packed Europe
Europe are the holders and have won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups, but United States boast eight of the world’s top 10 players and home advantage.
-
NewsA statistical look at the Ryder Cup as Europe seek to continue recent dominance
Europe have won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups but USA have claimed victory in 26 of the 42 editions overall, with two ties.
-
NewsNiall Kearney shoots seven-under 65 to take early lead at Dutch Open
Denmark’s Martin Simonsen and Germany’s Maximilian Kieffer sit in second.
-
NewsHenrik Stenson named as Team Europe’s fifth vice-captain for Ryder Cup
The former Open champion joins fellow Swede Robert Karlsson, Luke Donald, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell in Padraig Harrington’s backroom staff.
-
NewsNo bias with Shane Lowry Ryder Cup selection, says Padraig Harrington
The European captain insists his friendship with his fellow Irishman did Lowry no favours.
-
NewsPadraig Harrington admits picking his Ryder Cup wild cards was a tough task
Justin Rose missed out as Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Shane Lowry were selected.
-
NewsPadraig Harrington admits leaving out Justin Rose was ‘incredibly difficult’
Rose eagled the 18th at Wentworth in a final round of 65 to finish in a tie for sixth, but that was not enough.
-
NewsRyder Cup setback fired up Wentworth winner Billy Horschel
The American was victorious in the BMW PGA Championship.