Willett denied again as flawless 63 sees Zanotti win in Malaysia

Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti produced a sensational finish to win the Maybank Championship in Malaysia yesterday as Danny Willett missed out on a first victory since last year’s Masters.

Zanotti, whose previous European Tour title came back in 2014, eagled the 18th in a flawless closing 63 at Saujana Country Club to finish 19 under par, a shot ahead of American David Lipsky.

Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, who was part of a three-way tie for the lead after a birdie on the 17th, finished third on 17 under, with France’s Alexander Levy another shot back.

Willett took a three-shot lead into the final round but could only manage a closing 73 to finish in a tie for fifth with China’s Li Haotong, who carded seven birdies in an error-free 65.

Zanotti began the day six shots off the lead and, despite five birdies in his first 13 holes, was still three behind Lipsky with four holes to play.

However, the 33-year-old – who had missed the cut in all three of his previous events in 2017 – then birdied the 15th and 17th before hitting a superb three-iron approach into the last and holing from 10 feet.

Lipsky, who had followed four birdies in a row from the 10th with a bogey on the 14th, needed to birdie the final two holes to force a play-off and although he picked up a shot on the 17th, he was unable to get up and down from a greenside bunker on the last.

Willett’s overnight lead was wiped out in the space of nine holes, the world No 15 playing the first eight holes in one under par before making a bogey on the ninth after his tee shot finished behind a tree.

Another three-putt bogey on the 14th effectively ended Willett’s chances as Zanotti charged through the field.

Scot Marc Warren carded a closing round two-under 70 to finish on eight-under and 11 shots behind Zanotti.

The inaugural Golf Sixes, with a prize fund of one million euro (£850,000), will feature two-man teams from 16 countries and take place at the Centurion Club near St Albans on May 6-7.

Fabrizio Zanotti with the Maybank silverware.