Australian rookie Rick Kulacz holed a stunning bunker shot for birdie to defeat Taiwan's Lu Wen-teh in a play-off and win the Brunei Open on Sunday. Kulacz, the 2001 world junior champion, produced one of the shots of the season to capture his maiden Asian Tour title at Empire Hotel and Country Club after tying Lu with a 13-under-par 271.
The 23-year-old, who held the overnight lead, overcame an early double bogey at the first to card a one-under-par 70 in the final round but was caught by Lu, who closed out with a 67.
Thailand's Somkiat Srisanga and American Anthony Kang, who both held the lead during an enthralling back nine duel, shared third place after a 68 and 67 respectively to finish one behind the winner. In the first hole of a sudden-death shootout, Kulacz and Lu found the greenside bunker at the par four 18th and after Lu had splashed out to five feet, the Perth-based Kulacz produced the unlikeliest of winning shots.
"My uncle Terry died earlier this year and he's always told me to believe in myself. I want to dedicate this to him and I felt that he was with me during the play-off," said Kulacz, who won 47,550 US dollars. "I've been hitting into bunkers all week and I finally found one that was sitting up perfectly. It was the easiest shot. I just had to splash it out and hope for the best. I've never been that excited. Kulacz who will now earn a two-year exemption on the Asian Tour and a start at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in November.
The 45-year-old Lu, chasing his fifth Asian Tour victory, put in a great performance with his six-birdie round but couldn't do much at the end. "I hit a good bunker shot in the play-off but didn't have the luck. Rick had the luck with him," said Lu.
Somkiat was pleased to record his best finish in an Asian Tour event and hopes to build on it. He briefly tied for the lead with a birdie on 15 but couldn't find any more in his remaining holes to tie the two leaders. Kang was hoping to end a seven-year winless spell and set the early pace with an outward 32. He birdied the 10th as well but lipped out the 12th and 13th and missed a birdie on 18 from 20 feet, which would have earned him a place in the play-off.
"With the way the scores were going, I didn't think I was that close to the lead when I was 12-under-par. I found out on the 14th hole that I was tied for the lead and tried to play solid coming down the stretch but it wasn't to be."
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