China's Liang wins Singapore Masters in playoff over Steel  SINGAPORE -- Liang Wenchong of China made par on the first hole of a sudden death playoff Sunday to beat Malaysian Iain Steel and win the Clariden Leu Singapore Masters for his first major title.  Liang Wenchong could "bearly" conceal his delight at winning the Singapore Masters. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Liang shot a 1-over-par final round of 73 while Steel had a 1-under 71 to finish tied at 11-under 277 at the $1.1 million tournament, co-sanctioned by the European and Asian tours. Liang made par on the first playoff hole on the Masters Course at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club, while Steel, who was on his way to a double bogey after finding the water from the tee, did not finish. The Chinese player, who has won pro-tournaments in China, claimed his first win on either the Asian or European tours. "I just didn't execute my shot well off the tee," Steel said of his performance in the playoff, though he added it was the best finish in his career so far. "I pictured it going out to the right and drawing back in to the fairway but I just came over the top and pulled it in the water." Steel shot four birdies, a bogey and a double bogey for his final round, while Liang, who recently finished third at the Philippine Open, had four birdies against three bogeys and a double bogey. England's Simon Dyson was one stroke behind after a 1-under 71 in which he made three birdies against two bogeys. Nick Dougherty (71), who intermittently led the field during the round with seven birdies, finished two strokes off the lead at 279 with compatriots David Lynn (69) and Anthony Wall (67), and Frenchman Jean Van de Velde (69). Dougherty said he was considering complaining to the organizers about the course, which he said was inconsistent. "The rough is too penal in places. Some places it is a foot and a bit long, which is obscene, and then 10 feet from that it is like fairway grass, which is pathetic," he said. Steel was leading by two strokes at the 16th after Liang's double bogey on the par-5 15th. The two players were tied at 11 under after Liang birdied the par-4 16th hole while Steel carded a bogey. Liang and Steel made par on the final two holes to force the playoff. Liang drove down the middle of the fairway at the par-4 playoff hole, the 18th, but Steel found water by the side of the fairway. "When he found water I thought to myself that I had a good chance to win," said Liang, who is now the second Chinese professional golfer to win a title outside China after Zhang Lianwei -- who won this same event on this same course in 2003. In shared eighth position at 8 under, three strokes off the lead, were Ireland's Peter Lawrie (74), Welshman Craig Smith (67), Jyoti Randhawa of India (75), Taiwan's Lin Keng-chi (70), and Australians Terry Pilkadaris (72) and Scott Barr (70). Dyson insisted, "I should have won." He started the day on 9 under but, after picking up two shots to move into contention, he failed to hole a four-foot putt to drop a shot on the 16th and spurned a birdie chance on the last green. "You just need a bit of luck to win tournaments and I am just not getting any. I didn't have any in Malaysia and I haven't had any today," Dyson said. "I managed to scramble it brilliantly but then when I was hitting good shots I wasn't getting the rewards." The victory delighted Liang, who showed his mental resilience by recovering from his double bogey at the par-5 15th. "I'm very happy and very relaxed. It is a great result for me," said Liang, who intends to donate all of his prize money to golf development programs in China. "I didn't play well on the 15th but I never gave up. I birdied the next hole and I managed to come through with the victory at the end." Steel had appeared to be on course for victory earlier after picking up his fifth birdie of the day to move to 13 under with three holes to play. But he double bogeyed the 16th after missing a bogey putt from two feet to finish with a 71. "I hit a tree out of the right rough and then misjudged the chip and three-putted from there," said Steel of his misadventures at the 16th. "That was pretty much the story but I had another chance to win at the playoff. I was quite confident and had a picture in my mind off the tee," he added. "But I just didn't execute, simple as that. I pictured it going out to the right and drawing back in to the fairway but I just came over the top and pulled it in the water." Copyright 2007 Associated Press and PA Sport. All rights reserved. |
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