Wu Ashun is first Chinese to win European Tour event at home at China Open
England's David Howell faltered on the last hole to give the Chinese golfer victory
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.
I played very good today. It's very special for a Chinese winner of the China Open. Very exciting
"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.
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.
“Obviously a crying shame for me not to come home with the trophy," said Howell, adding that "there’s I don’t know how many billion people who are rather pleased I made six on the last."
Defending champion Levy (71) began his round with a bogey, and a double-bogey five at the eighth left him with too much to claw back and he settled for a share of third on seven under.
Li said: "It’s a great experience for me, especially considering I still finished sixth, which is much better than last year, so I learned a lot."
