Fleetwood seizes one-stroke lead at PGA Honda Classic

WELLINGTON: Brad Kennedy carded a remarkable eight-under-par final-round 63 to come from behind to win Golf’s New Zealand Open by two strokes on Sunday.

Kennedy, who won the tournament in 2011, started the day two shots behind fellow Australian Lucas Herbert but stormed to victory at the Millbrook Resort course in Queenstown, finishing on 21 under-par 264.

“To do this again after nine years is just unbelievable,” said Kennedy of his second win in the event which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Australasia PGA Tour.

“I actually posted a number in my head last night, 21 was the number, and I didn’t think I’d reach it but I just knew that this course was out there to be had, the course is playing unbelievable.”

The in-form Herbert, who won the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic in January, had a costly double-bogey on the 13th.

He fought back with three consecutive birdies and, needing another at the 18th to force a playoff, instead dropped a shot for a 67 that left him two strokes adrift of Kennedy.

South Korean 17-year-old Kim Joo-hyung, who shared the overnight lead with Herbert, could only manage a final-round 70 for fourth place on 16-under par, a shot behind third-placed Australian Nick Flanagan. Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, the 2006 US Open champion, had a disappointing final round of four-over 75 to slip back to a share of 54th on two-under for the tournament.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood birdied four of the last six holes, including two spectacular birdie putts from beyond 40 feet, to grab a onestroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the US PGA Honda Classic.

The 29- year-old english man, runner-up at the 2018 US Open and 2019 British Open, fired a three-under par 67 to finish on five-under 205 after 54 holes at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Fleetwood, who began the day three strokes off the lead, made six birdies against three bogeys on a wild day where he was the only player to shoot a round under par in the final eight groups.

“It’s funny, really, how tough certain shots can play,” Fleetwood said. “There are just so many factors on a golf course. You can only hit golf shots and see where they play.”

American brendan steele, the 36- hole leader who was three ahead of Fleetwood when the day began, fired a 71 to stand second on 206 with England’s 46-year-old Lee Westwood and 42-year-old Luke Donald both on 207 after 71s Saturday.