Winner dared not look at the board
SYDNEY: A ‘‘blown away’’ Cameron Davis had no idea he was about to win the Australian Open until he finally glanced at the leaderboard after his last putt dropped yesterday.
Davis fought back tears after closing with a brilliant sevenunderpar 64 to snatch the Stonehaven Cup in the most unexpected Open triumph since Aaron Baddeley beat Greg Norman down the stretch as a teenage amateur in 1999.
The 22yearold began the final round six shots adrift of superstar overnight leader Jason Day but amassed six birdies and a spectacular holeout eagle to stun onlookers at The Australian Golf Club.
Davis finished with a 72hole total of 11under 273, one shot better than 2015 champion Matt Jones and Swede Jonas Blixt, who both carded lastday 68s.
‘‘This is a dream come true,’’ Davis said after having his name etched on the famous trophy alongside those of golfing greats Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Norman, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
‘‘It doesn’t get much better than this. I’m going to remember this forever.
‘‘I couldn’t play any better today.’’
In his second year as a profes sional, Davis dared not look at the leaderboard all day.
He was almost aghast to learn he was in front after making a priceless birdie at the last.
‘‘I was just trying to keep pushing forward and see where it would get me,’’ Davis said.
‘‘I thought I’d be up around the top but to come into the scorer’s hut and see where I was — I was blown away.
‘‘I’m a bit numb at the moment.’’
Jones and Blixt’s US PGA Tour peer Cameron Smith, runnerup last year in a playoff to Spieth, suffered another near miss, finishing fourth at nine under after a 68 yesterday.
Day finishes 2017 winless after the former world No 1 faded to fifth at eight under after finding the water from a fairway bunker en route to a doublebogey six on the ninth hole.
‘‘It was tough, yes, but there were plenty of scores in the 60s. I just didn’t play my best and obviously it’s not great to shoot twoover par on the final round when you’ve got the lead,’’ Day said.
‘‘Cameron came back and played a wonderful round of golf today to win the tournament, so he’s obviously got a lot to look forward to next year, getting into The Open Championship and all that stuff as well.’’
Defending champion Spieth charged home with an eagle at the last in his final round 67 to share eighth spot with 21yearold Lucas Herbert (73) and Kiwi Mark Brown (68).
But the day belonged to Davis, the world No 1494 who won the national amateur title on the very same course two years ago.
He also broke his wrist hitting a tree root playing in the Monash Medal at his home club on Sydney’s northern beaches and missed the entire 2015 summer before missing the cut at last year’s Open at Royal Sydney.
Davis, who also claimed individual honours while helping Australia win the 2016 world amateur teams event, surged up the leaderboard yesterday with birdies on the first, third, fifth and 10th holes.
But it wasn’t until he holed out from 71m for a two on the 380m par4 12 that he became a serious factor.
Davis hit the front with another birdie on the 14th, remained unfazed when he dropped a shot to relinquish his outright lead on No 16 and then began to dream after his birdie on the last. — NZN