(Reuters) – Min Woo Lee claimed victory at the Australian PGA Championship with a final-round 68 at Royal Queensland on Sunday, finishing three shots ahead of Rikuya Hoshino.
Lee finished the tournament on 20-under-par, earning him the trophy for the first time, with Hoshino coming in second and Marc Leishman taking third place after a seven-under-par final round.
“I made it interesting early on and through the middle but I ended up hanging on and I’m really proud,” said Lee.
“Rikuya’s a really good player and he kept knocking on the door, but it was exactly the same as my last win, my playing partner just kept coming so I knew I needed to keep playing well and do my thing.”
Hoshino trailed by three shots after the penultimate round but pulled level when Lee bogeyed the first hole and the Japanese golfer picked up birdies at the second and third holes.
Lee responded strongly, however, with three birdies in four holes and an eagle at the ninth, giving him a commanding position.
Although Lee’s lead was slightly eroded by a dropped shot at the par-four 10th and another bogey at the 14th, he put the result beyond doubt with a birdie at the 15th, sealing his victory.
Hoshino secured second place by going three-under-par on the final round while Leishman charged through the field with a course record-equalling 63 to take third.
(Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by William Mallard)
