MELBOURNE: Australian veteran Peter Senior upstaged his younger rivals to win a third Australian Masters on Sunday, 20 years after donning his last gold jacket at Huntingdale in Melbourne.

Senior fired a final round three-under-par 68 to finish eight-under and beat American amateur Bryson DeChambeau and compatriots John Senden and Andrew Evans by two shots.

Former US Masters champion and two-time Australian Masters winner Adam Scott was fifth at four under par after a final round of 69.

At 56, Senior became the oldest player to win the title, eclipsing 50-year-old American Gene Littler’s victory in 1980.

Senior also won the tournament at Huntingdale in 1991 and 1995.

It was the veteran’s 34th professional win and follows his triumph at the Australian Open in 2012.

“You don’t expect to win these events any more,” Senior said.

“I’m over the moon to win this tournament. The (Australian) Open a few years ago (2012) and the PGA before that (in 2010), all over 50 years, that’s a big thing for me.”

Senior started the day with a share of third place and held a three-shot lead with three holes to play before bogeying the 17th.

Evans also dropped a shot on the tricky par-5 17th to end a two-hole birdie run and then also bogeyed the last to deliver the title to Senior.

World number 12 Scott, who led after the first two rounds, finished on four under after an up-and-down final round.

The 35-year-old picked up five birdies but had a costly double-bogey on the par-5 seventh and another bogey on the par-3 15th to sign for a two-under-par 69.

The former world number one faced an uphill task after he blew out with a six-over 77 in Saturday’s third round.

Rookie Srithong clinches Manila Masters in thrilling style

Thailand’s Natipong Srithong hit a brilliant five-under-par 67 to claim the Resorts World Manila Masters in thrilling style Sunday, becoming the second Thai newcomer to win in successive weeks on the Asian Tour.

The 22-year-old, who only turned professional in September, carded a 15-under-par 273 overall score at the par-72 Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club after overcoming a four-shot deficit in the final round.

Srithong finished one shot ahead of South Africa’s Jbe Kruger — who closed with a 71 — while overnight leader Hung Chien-yao of Taiwan, who sank a hole-in-one, was two shots behind alongside compatriot Lee Chieh-po.

The winner of what is the richest golf event in the Philippines, a final year law undergraduate, earned $180,000 for his remarkable victory, emulating close friend and fellow rookie Danthai Boonma, who won in Singapore last week.

“Seeing Danthai winning last week was an inspiration,” said Srithong, who made crucial birdies on the 12th, 15th and 17th to emerge triumphant.

“He was my roommate the past two weeks and after he won, he said it will be my turn soon. I didn’t expect it to be so soon,” added Srithong in comments supplied by the organizers.

Overnight leader Hung endured a torrid start, dropping four shots in six holes before he staged a fightback with a magical hole-in-one on the 13th with a finely struck two iron tee shot. But despite his heroics, he only managed to card 73 on his final round.

Final scores (par-72)

273 – Natipong Srithong (THA) 71-69-66-67.

274 – Jbe Kruger (RSA) 69-65-69-71.

275 – Lee Chieh-po (TPE) 68-66-71-70, Hung Chien-yao (TPE) 67-67-68-73.

276 – Rahil Gangjee (IND) 72-66-70-68, Chan Kim (USA) 69-71-68-68, Prom Meesawat (THA) 72-68-67-69, Carlos Pigem (ESP) 68-71-67-70.

277 – Paul Peterson (USA) 70-67-74-66, Lionel Weber (FRA) 72-67-70-68, Sam Brazel (AUS) 68-72-67-70.