Wu Ashun is first Chinese to win European Tour event at home at China Open

Wu Ashun became the first Chinese golfer to win a European Tour title on home soil by claiming his national open by one shot on Sunday after Englishman David Howell faltered on the last.

Howell needed a birdie on the par-five 18th for victory but sent his lengthy first putt from off the green seven feet past the hole and his par attempt missed tamely on the low side to hand Wu the China Open title in front of a delighted gallery.

Wu, 29, twice a winner on the Japan Golf Tour, joined Liang Wenchong and Zhang Lianwei as Chinese winners of European Tour events after the duo claimed previous editions of the Singapore Masters.

"It's a wonderful day today. Everyone knows how tough it was," Wu said after finishing the tournament on nine under par. "I played very good today. It's very special for a Chinese winner of the China Open. Very exciting.

Wu took home nearly 500,000 euros (US$543,000), more than doubling how much he’s earned in seven years on the European Tour.
 
“There’s a long journey in a golf career, someone can hit a low score in their 30s, 40s, so I have to  be patient and keep practicing, keep playing tournaments, and it will come,” Wu said.

Wu and Howell had started the day in a four-way tie for the lead with China's Li Haotong and Alexander Levy, but Wu's round of one-under-par 71 on the tricky Shanghai Pudong course was enough for victory in the 20 million yuan (HK$25.02 million) tournament.

Howell had led for much of the round but a bogey-five on 14 dropped him in a tie with Wu before his disappointing final hole.