Ashun Wu from the People’s Republic of China produced a final round six under par 65 despite bogeying the second hole to become the first Chinese to win the Magical Kenya Open title at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course on Sunday.
The 37-year-old Wu, who was making his debut in the Open which was staged for the third time as part of the DP World Tour series, maintained his cool despite bogeying in the early stage of the final.
He however recovered the shot quickly at the par five-fourth hole and added three more birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth before embarking on the back nine where rolled in birdies at the 10th, 17th and 18th, to sign for his 65, which gave him a grand total of 16 under par 268 to win by four shots from Canada’s Aaron Cockerill and South Arica’s Lawrence Thriston, who shot 67 and 66 in the final round to tie for the second place.
Wu, born on June 22, 1985, became the first Chinese player to win on Kenyan soil in the European Tour when he captured the 2015 Volvo China Open, had a total of 24 birdies and eight bogeys this week at Muthaiga.
Currently ranked 28th in the DP World Tour and 342nd in the world, Wu, who turned pro in 2007, had won three DP World Tour titles before the Magical Kenya Open.
‘’It’s a very good feeling today to win a championship. It was a very tough today, I played very well today and made seven birdies.
After two rounds I told myself if I can make five under every day on the weekend and finish 15 under, I think I’ll have a chance to win the tournament.
“Today I was four shots behind and still playing to my plan. Five under was my goal today and after ten holes I had a good felling and I told myself I’ll keep playing and make a couple of birdies and it’s fine.
“My short game was good today also, I saved a couple of pars, my putting was good to make birdies on the 17th and 18th, I’m happy.
“I think a lot of Chinese people came to support me and I was happy to see them. It’s a big celebration, I’m so happy with my family here,” added Wu, who took home 297,500 Euros (about Sh37, 175,131), while the two players who tied for second place won Sh16, 282,334.
On the other hand, Cockerill birdied the second, fourth, eighth, 11th, and 17th, with an eagle at the 10, all those against bogeys at the first, seventh and 16th holes.
The South African Thriston bogeyed the 14th, having picked up three birdies at the front nine, an eagle at the fourth and only one birdie at the back nine’s 10th for the fay’s 66 to tie with Cockerill and Germany’s Hurly Long, who also shot 66 in the closing round for 12 under par 272.
England’s David Horsey was just a shot behind them on 11 under par 273.
Meanwhile, day three leader Ewen Ferguson from Scotland found the going tough as he bogeyed three holes and two double-bogeyed to finish on five over par 75 to drop to eighth place nine under par 275 in tie with Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult.
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