BEIJING: Local favourite Liang Wenchong sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the fifth hole of a sudden-death play-off to overtake South Korea’s Y E Yang and win the Nanshan China Masters yesterday.
Yang scored a two-under-par fourth-round 69 to overnight leader Liang’s 73 to leave both at eight under for the tournament.
They then matched each other shot-for-shot as they played the 18th five times to try to settle the OneAsia $1m event.
Neither player has won on any tour since each claiming two OneAsia titles in 2010. For a time it seemed that Australian Aaron Townsend (72) might pip them both in the final round.
But Townsend stuttered down the finish, and missed the playoff by one stroke after two bogeys in the last five holes.
“I’m very happy,” Liang said after sinking his putt in fading light at the Nanshan International Golf Club’s Danling course.
REUTERS
