Michael Sim fades with a 77 in final Melbourne round

Pampling beats Fraser in play-off
for Australian Masters title

Rod Pampling has won the Australian Masters after edging out Marcus Fraser at the third play-off hole at Huntingdale Golf Club, Melbourne after the two Australians finished locked at the top of the final round leaderboard on 12 under par 276
Victorian Fraser carded a brilliant final round seven under par 65, which included just one bogey, while Pampling signed for a fourth round 65 despite having birdie chances at his last three holes which would have sealed the win.
With Fraser, 30, sat on the practice range, Queensland's Pampling had three opportunities to claim the victory in regulation but after missing a chance at the 16th, pushed a six foot birdie putt right of the hole at the 17th.
At the last 39 year old Pampling took his time to line up a 25 foot Championship putt, but again missed his chance as the ball drifted left of the hole. Both players missed long birdie chances on the first trip down the 18th, which saw just one fourth round birdie in regulation, before Fraser found rough off the tee and sand with his second on the return trip down the 18th.
Pampling found the middle of the fairway but his approach failed to clear a bank at the front of the green and rolled back onto the fringes.
After Fraser chipped to the back of the green, Pampling put the pressure on his opponent after getting to within a foot, but Fraser converted from ten feet to ensure a third play-off hole.
Fraser again missed the green into the 18th and after putting past the hole up a steep hill at the back of the green, missed a par putt and was forced to settle for a bogey to open the door for Pampling.
And he did not turn down the opportunity as he claimed his first Australian Masters green jacket with a simple three foot par putt to claim his first victory on The European Tour.
Joint overnight leader Robert Allenby, a two time champion, was in contention heading into the final holes at 11 under, but was forced to rescue a double bogey 5 at the 15th as he holed a 20 foot putt after chipping out of a greenside bunker and finished alone in third at nine under 279 after a 73.
South Africa’s Tim Clark (67), Australia’s Nathan Green (70) and Sweden’s Alexander Noren (68) finished tied for fourth at eight under 280.
Australia’s David McKenzie (68) finished seventh at seven under, while joint overnight leader Aberdeen-born Michael Sim, joint leader with 18 holes to go, finished seven shots off the pace following a 77, a total of 283 earning him 14,486 Euros, compared with the winner's 140,193.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
Players from Australia unless stated
276 R Pampling 71 68 70 67, M Fraser 73 67 71 65 (Pampling won sudden death play-off at third extra hole).
279 R Allenby 73 66 67 73.
280 T Clark (SAf) 67 70 76 67, N Green 72 68 70 70, A Noren (Swe) 73 71 66 68.
281 D McKenzie 72 70 71 68.
Selected score:
283 M Sim (Sco) 72 66 68 77 (jt 11th).

Aussie Masters on the move from Huntingdale

Pampling’s win brought down the curtain on 30 years of fine golf at Huntingdale. The Australian Masters, first played in 1979 and won by New Zealander Barry Vivian, will be moved to a new venue next year. It was a sad day for Eric Parton, captain of the club in 1979, and the hundreds of volunteers who helped stage it.
“We are disappointed,” Parton said. “It was the idea of David Ingles (the tournament’s founder who died in 2003) to copy the US Masters and leave it here at Huntingdale. When he first came up with the idea, I said to the committee that if this works, we can probably see the best golfers in the world play here. It costs the members nothing and the club makes some money out of it.”
Organisers have said they plan to rotate the Australian Masters around the Sand Belt courses in Melbourne and have not ruled out a return to Huntingdale at a later date. According to rumour, the 2009 Aussie Masters will be at Kingston Heath, the venue of seven Australian Opens since 1948. It was also the venue of this year’s Women’Australian Open.
Kingston Heath celebrates its centenary in 2009 and construction of the new clubhouse is scheduled for completion in October.