MELBOURNE, 15 December 2003 — Peter Senior survived two late bogeys to win his second Australian PGA Championship by one stroke from Rodney Pampling yesterday.
The 44-year-old Senior, who had not won a tournament since 1997, closed with a 73 for a 17-under-par total of 271 at the Hyatt Coolum course in Queensland.
Senior, with tears welling in his eyes, said he was relieved the tournament was over after taking three putts for a bogey on the par-four 18th hole. Senior was joint leader after the first round and five shots clear of the field after three rounds. Queensland’s Pampling and Sydneysider Craig Parry were in joint second place after the third round and pushed Senior all the way.
Pampling shot a 69 for a total of 16-under-par 272, shooting five birdies and two bogeys. The 34-year-old moved to 16-under-par after birdies on the 12th and 13th holes before closing with five pars.
Triple Australian Masters winner Parry fired a 70 to finish a shot behind Pampling in third place. Parry’s challenge ended with a double-bogey five on the par-three 14th hole after his tee shot found water.
Scott Laycock closed with a 67 to finish fourth on 14-under-par 274, one shot ahead of last year’s joint Australian PGA champion Peter Lonard. Twice British Open winner Greg Norman finished with a 75 for a share of 20th place on six-under-par 282.
American Love Fires 63 to Regain Lead at World Challenge
In Los Angeles, American Davis Love vaulted past defending champion Padraig Harrington to reclaim the lead after three rounds of the $5 million World Challenge golf tournament. Love shot a nine-under 63 on Saturday to grab a three-stroke lead after three rounds at the Sherwood Country Club in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks. Love played in a pairing with Woods, the tournament host who shares sixth in the elite 16-player field after shooting a 72.
After 54 holes Love is 11-under-par 205, three strokes ahead of second place KJ Choi of South Korea. Choi nearly kept pace with Love, shooting a 65 to reach 7-under 208.
Thailand’s Thongchai Triumphs in Volvo Masters of Asia
In Bangkok, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee recorded the biggest win of his career in the $500,000 Volvo Masters of Asia yesterday. Thongchai shot a six-under-par 65 to win by one stroke from Taiwan’s Lin Keng-chi, who returned a 67.
In what is the season-ending Tour championship on the Asian PGA Tour, Thongchai finished with a four-round aggregate of 19-under-par 265 and won $90,000.
Jyoti Randhawa of India came in with a 65 to finish alone in third place, four strokes off the lead at Bangkok Golf Club.
India’s Arjun Atwal was the other big winner this week. He claimed the Order of Merit title ahead of China’s Zhang Lian-wei.
