Rai holds firm for win
AARON RAI held off a final-day charge from fellow Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick to win his maiden European Tour title at the Hong Kong Open.
Rai saw his six-shot overnight lead whittled down but did just enough to secure a one-stroke victory.
Britain’s world No9 Tommy Fleetwood, who held a share of second overnight, saw his challenge fall apart as a threeover-par round left him in a five-way tie for 14th.
Rai said: “Winning in the past helps you to expect or know the situation you’re going to have, but it did feel a little bit different today in terms of just how big the event is and the attention.
“Also, playing with two real world-class players in terms of Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, you kind of expect them to come at you and never make it easy.
“You have to repeat the same messages as you go along the way, consolidate and stay patient and really just focus on your own game.”
Fitzpatrick sunk seven birdies in his first seven holes to put the pressure on Rai but his bogey at the 17th gave the leader breathing space.
In Melbourne, meanwhile, Belgians Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry won the World Cup of Golf by three strokes, surviving a late wobble and a charge from hosts Australia.
Overnight leaders by five strokes, Pieters and Detry bogeyed the 15th as their advantage shrank to two shots during the final foursomes. But the duo held their nerve over the closing holes to finish on a 23-under total, three clear of joint runners-up Australia and Mexico.