Rumford wins first World Super 6 title in final shootout

Hometown hero Brett Rumford nailed his final drive to beat Thai teenager Phachara Khongwatmai 2&1 in the six-hole matchplay final to win the inaugural World Super 6 title in Perth yesterday and claim back his European Tour card.
Despite the innovative format, the 39-year-old Australian put together what was effectively a wire-to-wire victory at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club, having finished the first three rounds of strokeplay with a five-shot lead.
The final was all square until the fourth hole when Rumford somehow got himself out of the trees, over a bunker and onto the green with a brilliant second shot before sinking a 10-foot putt to take the lead.
At the par-three penultimate hole, Rumford hit his tee shot to within three feet of the flag, while Phachara found the greenside bunker and had no luck putting his way out of the sand to effectively concede the contest.
“It’s amazing, particularly with the new format, the first win in that,” said Rumford. “It’s been a long, hard-fought week (and) I’m really proud of myself.”
It was a sixth European Tour victory for Rumford, who turned professional the year after Phachara was born, and re-secured him the tour rights he lost at the end of last year. “It’s massive,” he added. “I had a tough year but I’m back and I couldn’t be happier.”
While Rumford dominated all four days of the tournament, Phachara had trailed by nine shots after round three and grabbed the 24th and final spot in Sunday’s matchplay knockout series with a par at the third playoff hole.
The 17-year-old was on fire on Sunday, however, and wins over locals Sam Brazel, Lucas Herbert, Matt Millar and Jason Scrivener put him into the final of the event, also co-sanctioned by the Australasian PGA and Asian Tours.
He faced a long wait as Rumford battled his way past Adam Bland in the semi-finals and his touch ultimately deserted him at the end of a long day in the Perth sunshine.
Asked whether it was fair that a player nine shots off the pace after the third round should be in the hunt for the title at the end of day four, Rumford, the trophy safely in his hands, said he was happy with anything that was good for the sport.
“It really comes down to the people and golf is bigger than one person,” he said.
“If it’s going to grow the game... and brings a bit more excitement and thrill, if that’s what we’ve created, then I think we’ve done a great job.”
Bland, who knocked out former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen in the quarter-finals, finished third after beating Scrivener 1-up in a playoff.
South African Oosthuizen had to settle for fifth place after seeing off Australian Steven Jeffress 1-up in the fifth-sixth place playoff.

Final round matchplay scores
Final
Brett Rumford (AUS) bt Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 2 and 1
Semi-finals
Brett Rumford (AUS) bt Adam Bland (AUS) 1-up
Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) bt Jason Scrivener (AUS) 3 and 1
Quarter-finals
Steven Jeffress (AUS) bt Jason Scrivener (AUS) 2nd extra hole
Phachara Khongwatmai bt Matthew Millar (AUS) 2 and 1
Adam Bland (AUS) bt Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) at 3rd extra hole
Brett Rumford (AUS) bt Wade Ormsby (AUS) at 2nd extra hole

Second round of 16
Jason Scrivener (AUS) bt Nick Cullen (AUS) 2 and 1
Steven Jeffress (AUS) bt David Bransdon (AUS) 1-up
Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) bt Lucas Herbert (AUS) 1-up
Matthew Millar (AUS) bt Austin Connelly (CAN) 2 and 1
Adam Bland (AUS) bt Adam Blyth (AUS) 1-up
Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) bt Johannes Veerman (USA) at 3rd extra hole
Wade Ormsby (AUS) bt Jake Higginbottom (AUS) at 4th extra hole
Brett Rumford (AUS) bt Hideto Tanihara (JPN) 2 and 1

First round of 16
Nick Cullen (AUS) bt Ryan Evans (ENG) 2-up
David Bransdon (AUS) bt Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) at 1st extra hole
Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) bt Samuel Brazel (AUS) 1-up
Matthew Millar (AUS) bt Casey O’Toole (USA) 1-up
Adam Bland (AUS) bt Thomas Detry (BEL) at 2nd extra hole
Johannes Veerman (USA) bt Daniel Fox (AUS) at 3rd extra hole
Wade Ormsby (AUS) bt Pep Angles (ESP) 1-up
Hideto Tanihara (JPN) bt Duncan Stewart (SCO) 1-up.

South Korea’s Jang wins Australian Open
South Korea’s Jang Ha-Na stormed to a three-shot victory in the Australian Open at Royal Adelaide with a blistering eagle-birdie finish yetsreday.
The world number six claimed her fourth LPGA tournament win with a sensational flourish to her final round.
Jang, 24, conjured a remarkable finish with an eagle from long range at the 17th followed by a brilliant birdie at the 18th to reach 10-under 282.
Her round of four-under 69 equalled the lowest round of the day but it was done in the toughest of the conditions with gusty winds.