'I supported this tour for a long time and it's a dream come true for me . . . I really didn't think I would win this'

China's Zhang Lianwei hit the jackpot at the US$250,000 Macau Open yesterday with the biggest win of his fledgling career.

A steady closing round three-under-par 68 gave him a nerve-shredding one-stroke win over Scotland's Simon Yates and the Chinese number one admitted: 'I've waited five long years for this.'

Zhang took off his cap and waved to a 1,000-plus crowd - many of whom had followed his every move - after sinking an 18-inch putt for par on the par-five 18th. But the next 20 minutes were excruciating for the 36-year-old Shenzhen-based golfer who had to wait until Yates - the only player who could catch him - completed his round for victory to be confirmed.

Yates finished strongly and birdied the final hole for a closing 70 but it was not enough to prevent Zhang from becoming the second Chinese to win on the Davidoff Tour after Cheng Jun won the 1997 Volvo China Open in Beijing. Zhang triumphed at the 1996 Volvo Asian Matchplay Championship in Malaysia, but yesterday's victory was his first in strokeplay on the Davidoff Tour.

Taiwan's Yeh Wei-tze finished a further shot behind after a 72 while Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and Lin Chie-hsiang of Taiwan were tied for fourth place, finishing seven-under for the tournament with a pair of 69s. American John Daly shared sixth place with Pakistan's Taimur Hussain after finishing six-under for the tournament with a 69 and 70 respectively.

Zhang was naturally delighted with his win - worth US$40,375 - and he rated it above his epic victory at the Ontario Open Heritage Classic in Canada last year.