Italian teenager Matteo Manassero rode a slice of luck to overcome a resurgent Louis Oosthuizen in a dramatic play-off to win the $6 million Barclay’s Singapore Open.
Holing a 12-foot downhill eagle putt in the third extra hole, Manaserro — who had carded a 69 in the final round — became the youngest ever winner of the tournament.
Leading by two shots in the third round of this rain-interrupted tournament, Manaserro, at 13 under, was three shots clear of Oosthuizen when a hat-trick of birdies closed the gap and eventually had the British Open champion going one ahead with another birdie on the 18th.
Mannesaro held his nerve on the final role, reaching the green in two and two-putting to even.
Oosthuizen was within a whisker of winning the $1 million winner’s cheque at the second extra hole, when a three-foot birdie putt lipped out to gasps of disbelief at a packed Sentosa Golf Club.
Earlier, overnight leader Thomas Bjorn faded away leaving Rory McIlroy as the only challenger.
The World No.1, who had an excellent final round, sank a 30-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole, and with it raised the brief hope that his ten-under may be sufficient if his competitors choked.
That was not to be in a tournament where other top-ten players such as Adam Scott, a three-time winner of the Singapore Open, failed to reverse his fortunes in a winless year with an impressive but insufficient eight under.
Phil Mickelson, who made the cut on Saturday thanks to an extraordinary soft pitch from the rough that sailed between two palm trees to within three feet of the final hole, was never in the race, with too much catching up to do.
Eleven Indians took part in this cash rich tournament, which Jeev Milkha Singh had won in 2008. Gaganjeet Bhullar (280) placed 17th with Shiv Kapur and S.S.P Chowrasia (281) were placed at 22.
(The writer was at the Singapore Open at the invitation of World Sports Group).
