YANGON - South Africa's Shaun Norris survived early jitters on the final day to take the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open Sunday, helped by a near-unassailable cushion built up the day before.
Shaun Norris with the winner's trophy at Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club in Yangon
The one-time Asian Tour winner began the final day at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club in Rangoon with a seven-shot lead over his rivals after Saturday's remarkable 11-under-par 61.
But a series of fluffed shots on the early nine left some wondering whether he had squandered that hard work as he notched up four bogeys in windy morning weather.
By the afternoon the South African had recovered. A flawless inward nine saw him take the tournament with 264, four shots less than South Korea's Park Jun-Won and Japan's Azuma Yano who took second jointly.
"The conditions were not easy from the start. When I stepped out of the hotel this morning, it was gusty," he said after taking his second Asian Tour title, according to quotes supplied by the event organisers.
"I tried to give myself chances early but I hit several bad shots in the wrong places. The wind really got me in the front-nine and confused me," he added.
Japan's Yano said he was happy to settle for runner-up given Norris's compelling lead.
"Starting out, I knew that the seven-shot gap was a gap too wide. So I was looking at second place, to be honest. It's a very good result and it's has given me an early season boost," he said.
Leading scores:
264 - Shaun Norris (RSA) 66-66-61-71
268 - Park Jun-Won (KOR) 73-64-63-68; Azuma Yano (JPN) 66-68-66-68
269 - Wang Jeung-hun (KOR) 66-68-66-69
270 - S.S.P. Chawrasia (IND) 66-66-68-70; Casey O'Toole (USA) 71-69-63-67
272 - Lee Soo-Min (KOR) 71-66-68-67
273 - Yuta Ikeda (JPN) 69-69-68-67, Chang Yi-Keun(KOR) 69-65-71-68, Ryutaro Nagano (JPN) 71-65-67-70, Thanyakon Khrongpa (THA) 68-68-67-70