BADDELEY BEATS CHOPRA IN PLAY-OFF,
WHITEFORD SAVES BEST FOR LAST

Australian local hero Aaron Baddeley (26) - he learned to play golf over the Melbourne course, beat Sweden's Daniel Chopra at the fourth hole of a sudden-death play-off after they had tied on 13-under-par 275 in the Australian Masters at Huntingdale Golf Club today
Meanwhile 27-year-old Peter Whiteford from Kirkcaldy saved his best round of the tournament - a two-under-par 70 - for the final day to finish an encouraging joint 37th on two-under-par 286.
Peter, twice a winner on the Challenge Tour on which he finished 13th for the season, thus gaining promotion to the European Tour, bogeyed the fourth but birdied three long holes, the seventh, 10th and 14th as well as the 16th to offset a second bogey, at the 12th, in halves of 36 and 34.
"The big goal coming out to Australia was to make the cut and experience a full week of competition at this level," said Peter whose brother Stewart was Scottish boys' match-play champion in 1996.
"The pressure now is all about holding on to my card."
Whiteford earned a cheque for 4,469 Euros.
Walker Cup player and rookie pro David Horsey from England did very well to finish joint fifth, thanks to scoring 65s in the second and fourth rounds. He totalled nine-under-par 279.
Walker Cup team-mate Rory McIlroy from Holywood, Belfast will be disappointed that he subsided to a final placing of joint 15th but it is all part of his progress to the front rank of world golf at an early age.
Rory finished on seven-under-par 281 after a final round of 73.
Baddeley, who is based at Scottsdale, Arizona as he campaigns on the US PGA Tour, recovered from heavy rough to par the fourth extra hole (the 18th hole), while Chopra's five foot par putt slid just wide.
Baddeley had carded a closing two under par 70. Overnight leader Chopra finished with a one under par 71.
"In the play-off I felt like I was swinging the club really well. I just kept hitting the same shots and felt that I'd wear him down," said Baddeley.
"Every play-off hole I had the chance to win and it was Dan who was saving it to keep it going but I really had to scrap to win that final play-off hole. But it really feels great to win at home. It's fantastic."
Australia's Stuart Appleby, who had led until the final hole, double bogeyed the 18th for a three under par 69 and dropped to third on 11 under par 277.
Five players shared the lead as the final pairing of Chopra and Kurt Barnes made the turn for home, though one by one they all dropped shots over the last nine holes.
Appleby had looked to be in control after sinking a 30 foot par putt on the 15th, before Chopra chipped in from the edge of the green at the same hole to retake a share of the lead.
He then produced an inch-perfect approach shot on the 16th to set up another birdie and take the lead.
Baddeley birdied the 17th to move into outright second on 13 under before he made par on the 18th, while Chopra two putted for a bogey on the 17th and parred the 18th to finish on the same score and send the pair into their marathon play-off.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
(Gbr & Irl unless stated)
275 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 70 66 69 70, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 69 70 65 71. Baddeley won at fourth hole of sudden-death play-off.
277 Stuart Appleby (Aus) 69 71 68 69
278 Peter O'Malley (Aus) 72 72 67 67
279 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 69 71 67 72, Peter Lonard (Aus) 70 71 68 70, Dave Horsey 77 65 72 65
280 Kurt Barnes (Aus) 69 71 65 75, Steven Jeffress (Aus) 73 72 69 66
281 Andrew Tampion (Aus) 70 74 68 69, Robert Allenby (Aus) 67 68 73 73, Richard Finch 70 71 67 73, Anthony Summers (Aus) 71 72 67 71, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 72 69 70 70
282 Rory McIlroy 70 69 70 73, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 73 72 70 67, John Senden (Aus) 73 69 71 69, Scott Strange (Aus) 70 69 72 71, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 71 68 72 71, Ross McGowan 74 71 68 69, Simon Khan 75 69 72 66
283 Peter Senior (Aus) 72 70 71 70, Adam Crawford (Aus) 72 69 71 71
284 Damien McGrane 72 71 69 72, Ewan Porter (Aus) 70 73 67 74, Michael Long (Nzl) 69 74 68 73, Rick Kulacz (Aus) 70 69 72 73, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 74 70 71 69, Stephen Leaney (Aus) 70 72 68 74
285 Adam Bland (Aus) 75 70 69 71, Aaron Black (Aus) 70 72 73 70, Alexander Noren (Swe) 72 72 71 70, Robert Dinwiddie 74 71 68 72, Peter Baker 68 72 74 71, Heath Reed (Aus) 73 71 68 73, Edward Rush 71 73 73 68
286 Paul Marantz (Aus) 69 75 74 68, Peter Whiteford 73 71 72 70, Shane Baxter (Aus) 72 70 70 74, Peter Wilson (Aus) 72 73 72 69
287 Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 68 75 74 70, Matthew Ecob (Aus) 70 75 68 74, Matthew Zions (Aus) 70 70 71 76, Marcus Cain (Aus) 75 70 70 72, David Bransdon (Aus) 79 66 71 71, Tim Wood (Aus) 71 73 73 70, Paul Sheehan (Aus) 72 73 71 71, Ashley Hall (Aus) 77 68 73 69
288 Josh Carmichael (Aus) 72 70 74 72, Richard Green (Aus) 72 73 69 74, Terry Price (Aus) 72 72 72 72
289 Scott Laycock (Aus) 75 70 72 72, Chris Downes (Aus) 72 72 70 75, Anthony Brown (Aus) 74 71 73 71, Michael Wright (Aus) 74 71 71 73
290 Mahal Pearce (Nzl) 71 74 73 72, Simon Furneaux (Aus) 70 71 73 76, Nick Flanagan (Aus) 70 73 74 73
291 Rhys Davies 70 75 72 74, Didier De Vooght (Bel) 74 70 73 74, Peter Fowler (Aus) 74 71 73 73
292 Ryan Hammond (Aus) 74 70 76 72
293 Alistair Presnell (Aus) 71 70 79 73, Stuart Manley 71 73 76 73
294 Luke Hickmott (Aus) 70 71 75 78, Paul Spargo (Aus) 71 72 75 76
295 Jarrod Moseley (Aus) 74 71 76 74, Michael Curtain (Aus) 74 71 71 79