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Indian star Anirban Lahiri claimed a sensationalĀ one-stroke victory at the US$900,000 Venetian Macau OpenĀ after frontrunner Scott Hend of Australia agonisinglyĀ bogeyed the last hole on Sunday.

Lahiri startedĀ the final round two shots behind overnight leader HendĀ and trailed by four at one stage at the Macau Golf andĀ Country Club before rallying on the home stretch to pip HendĀ and Thailandā€™s Prom Meesawat.

The 27-year-oldĀ Indian signed for a final round of five-under-par 66,Ā which included six birdies, and a winning aggregate ofĀ 17-under-par 267. The winnerā€™s cheque of US$162,000Ā raised his seasonā€™s tally to US$504,689 as heĀ consolidated his second place on the Asian Tourā€™sĀ Order of Merit and narrowed the gap on leader David LipskyĀ of the United States.

Hend, theĀ defending champion who arrived in Macau in top form afterĀ winning the Hong Kong Open last week, lipped out a par puttĀ from four feet on the 72nd hole as the roles reversed fromĀ last yearā€™s edition where Lahiri was the runner-up. Hend settled for a 69 while Prom charged up the leaderboardĀ with a 66.

ā€œItā€™sĀ really special. Hendy was playing great golf and it was sadĀ toĀ see him missing that putt on the last,ā€ said Lahiri,Ā who secured his second win of the season and fifth AsianĀ Tour victory.

ā€œI knewĀ he was playing some good golf and I told myself that I wasĀ goingĀ to keep coming back, keep coming back and keep attacking. IĀ wanted to make him think I was not going to go away. I thinkĀ I played really well.ā€

Hend tookĀ charge early on and doubled his overnight lead to four shotsĀ after nailing an eagle on two and a birdie on seven.Ā However, a tenacious Lahiri fought back with birdies onĀ eight and nine to make the turn only two back. The pivotalĀ moment came on 14 when Lahiri hit a superb seven iron intoĀ the par three hole for an easyĀ birdie while Hend bogeyed.

Lahiri, who hadĀ opened his campaign with a stunning 61 on Thursday,Ā then led for the first time in the final round with aĀ birdie on 15 but Hend leveled with a birdie at the next holeĀ until his slip-up at the last.

ā€œI hit aĀ perfect golf shot on 14,ā€ said Lahiri. ā€œI hadĀ just missed aĀ putt at the previous hole and I knew I needed a birdie toĀ catch Hendy and that was just magic the way it came down. IĀ hit a seven iron as hard and high as I could and it came outĀ perfect. One of the best shots of the week.

ā€œI wasĀ chasing all day and on 14, thatā€™s where the momentumĀ switchedĀ a bit. Itā€™s fantastic to win my second of the year. IĀ missed the cut last week (in Hong Kong) after a long time soĀ I had time to think about what I was doing wrong and how wasĀ I was not thinking positively on the course. Iā€™m happyĀ I managed to turn that around.ā€

Hend wasĀ disappointed he missed his par putt which would have forcedĀ a play-off and also the opportunity to join Chinaā€™sĀ Zhang Lian-wei as the only two-time Venetian Macau OpenĀ champion.

ā€œI hitĀ too many loose shots and then on the last hole, I had a lipĀ outĀ which I thought I put a good putt on it. Unfortunately itĀ lipped out. I looked up to see it lipping out. I thought IĀ had made the putt,ā€ said Hend.

ā€œTo beĀ honest, the tournament had slipped as the tee shotĀ wasnā€™t inĀ play. I had to hit the fairway which would have made it aĀ lot easier but I missed the fairway which made my job aĀ little bit harder.ā€

Prom came homeĀ strongly in 32 but fell one short shy of forcing a play-off.Ā He rued a rollercoaster start where he went bogey, birdie,Ā bogey, birdie in his opening four holes. ā€œI had a goodĀ back nine but it was up and down in the first four holes.Ā 

But to finish on five under for the round, Iā€™m happy.Ā My goal was to stay inside theĀ top-three. It was not going to be easy to catch Hendy orĀ Anirban,ā€ said Prom.

Meanwhile, TheĀ Venetian MacaoĀ® has extended its title sponsorship ofĀ the Venetian Macau Open for a further two years until 2016Ā following its successful association with Macauā€™sĀ premier golf championship this week. The Macau SportĀ Development Board (MSDB) and its partners, the Asian Tour,Ā Macau Golf Association and IMG, jointlyĀ announced that next yearā€™s edition will return to theĀ Macau Golf and Country Club from October 15-18,Ā 2015.

The VenetianĀ Macau Open is jointly organised by Macau Sport DevelopmentĀ Board of Macau SAR Government (MSDB) and Golf AssociationĀ of Macau.Ā  It is sanctioned by both the Asian Tour andĀ the Golf Association of Macau, and promoted by IMG. Ā The Venetian Macao is the title sponsor of the event for aĀ third successive year.

SponsorsĀ joining The Venetian Macao in support of the tournamentĀ includeĀ Rolex, Air Macau, Blue Girl, Lamborghini and Hong KongĀ Descente, which carries both the Le Coq Sportif GolfĀ Collection, Twinwoods Wine and Munsingwear.

 

PIX: Indianā€™s Anirban Lahiri, the champion of the 16thĀ Venetian Macau Open

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