Third title for Westwood: Golf

Monday 10 March 1997 00:02 GMT
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Britain's Lee Westwood won the $300,000 (pounds 187,000) Malaysian Open yesterday when he carded a final round three-under-par 69 for a final total of 274. It was his third tournament victory in succession this season.

The 23-year old holed a birdie putt on the 18th green to finish 14-under- par for the tournament. It gave him a two-stroke victory over the American Larry Barber, who finished second on 276, while overnight leader Harumitsu Hamano, of Japan, finished equal fifth on 279 after a three-over-par final round of 75.

"Patience was the key today." said Westwood who had set the course record of 64 in the opening round and completed his third win in a row, having taken the Scandinavian Masters in Sweden and the Visa Taiheiyo championship.

Clinton Whitelaw picked up three strokes in two late holes to clinch the Moroccan Open by two shots over the Royal Golf Links in Agadir.

The 26-year-old South African, one shot off the lead with three holes to play, birdied the 16th with a 25-foot putt and then had a magnificent eagle three at the 17th to clinch his victory. His final round of 69 gave him a four-round aggregate of 277, 11 under par.

Whitelaw finished two clear of England's Roger Chapman and the Australian's Wayne Riley and Darren Cole with David A Russell in fifth place a further stroke back on 280. Whitelaw's victory means that only one European golfer, Miguel Angel Martin, of Spain, has won a European Tour event this year.

Martin won the Heineken Classic in Perth, Australia, last month but the other six events have been won by Ernie Els (South Africa), Vijay Singh (Fiji), Nick Price (Zimbabwe, twice), Richard Green (Australia) and now Whitelaw.

David Duval took a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Doral-Ryder Open in Miami on Saturday. Duval had nine birdies, four bogeys, one double bogey and just three pars on Doral's Blue Monster course for a two-under- par 70 and a 12-under 204 total after 54 holes.

Nick Price, of Zimbabwe, was one stroke back at 11 under. Greg Norman, the overnight co-leader with Duval and a three-times former champion at Doral, lost four strokes on the last six holes, with a double-bogey on 18 to drop to eight under par.

Scores, Digest, page 19

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