MANILA: Lin Wen-tang scrambled from the trees on his last two holes to set up an unlikely win at the Solaire Open and claim his sixth Asian Tour title yesterday.
The overnight leader came up with two remarkable shots on the 17th and 18th to pip Thai veteran Thammanoon Sriroj, who had snatched the lead earlier in the day, and Asian Tour rookie Richard T Lee of Canada by one stroke.
Thammanoon’s title hopes were dented by bogeys on the 16th and 18th in a final round of one-over 73, while Lee signed off with a strong 69 for his best Asian Tour finish.
Trailing Thammanoon going into the 17th, Taiwan’s Lin hit his tee shot into the woods but he managed to punch the ball out and then sink his second birdie of the day.
Lin’s second shot on the 18th also found the trees but he somehow worked the ball onto the green from there and holed a 15-foot par putt for the win. The manner of victory revived memories of Lin’s 2008 Hong Kong Open victory when he had to hit over the trees to stay alive in a playoff with Rory McIlroy.
Lin won the top prize of $300,000.
Korean Wang Jeung-hun (69) finished a stroke further back while Elmer Salvador (74) was the best placed Filipino in fifth at level-par 288. REUTERS
