Mexico’s Ancer in easy Open victory
THE back nine on Sunday is meant to be when golf championships are won and lost because that’s usually the time when the pressure is at its most suffocating.
Abraham Ancer spent yesterday waiting for the challengers to come and test his nerves but they never arrived, so he just waltzed away with the 103rd Australian Open like he was taking a leisurely stroll in the park.
Holding a commanding five-shot lead heading into the final round, the diminutive Mexican signed off with a three-under-par 69 to finish at 16-under and win by five strokes for one of the easiest wins in the tournament’s recent history.
“My approach was the same. I felt really comfortable all week so I didn’t change anything off the tee,” Ancer said.
The bigger name players were nowhere to be seen on the last day at The Lakes so the battlers filled the void.
Dimitrios Papadatos overcame the embarrassment of four-putting the 14th hole to close with a 67 to finish outright second at 11-under while Jake McLeod carded a 66 to take third spot at 10-under.
That came with an added bonus as the top three all qualified for next year’s British Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
“That’s awesome. That just tops it off,” Papadatos said.
McLeod was unaware he had qualified for the British Open but said the key to his success was being able to forget the disappointment of being penalised in the third round for taking too long to play a shot.
Australia’s top-ranked player, Cameron Smith, saved his best for last, firing a 66 to finish tied for 10th, while the 2017 winner Cameron Davis plummeted down the leaderboard with a 75.
Matt Kuchar, who won in Mexico last week, and his fellow American Keegan Bradley also shot 75s.
Despite his big lead, the Mexican still had cause to be anxious.
His only win as a professional had been in a lower tier event in Nova Scotia three years ago and questions were being asked about his ability to finish off tournaments after he blew two golden opportunities to win on the US PGA Tour when he led on the last day.
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AAP