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South Africa’s Ockie Strydom sealed a second European Tour victory after shooting a brilliant nine-under 63 to power up the leaderboard and clinch the Singapore Classic by one stroke I Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin finishes in a tie for 11th
Last Updated: 12/02/23 9:18am
South Africa’s Ockie Strydom shot a nine-under 63 on Sunday to power up the leaderboard and clinch the Singapore Classic by one stroke from Finland’s Sami Valimaki.
Strydom carded a final round of 63 – the best score of the final day at Laguna National Golf Resort Club – to finish on 19 under for his second win on the European Tour after claiming the Alfred Dunhill championship in South Africa in December.
Valimaki, who started the final round two shots behind overnight leaders Wang Jeung-hun and Alejandro del Rey, shot a six-under 66 to finish one stroke behind Strydom.
Valimaki looked most likely to take advantage and was three clear of the field after sinking a 30-footer for birdie at the 10th, but Strydom reeled him in, adding four back-nine birdies to his five on the way out.
The pick of the bunch was on the par-five 18th when he left himself in a bit of trouble through the green with his second, but he held his nerve and chipped his shot stone dead to tap-in for birdie and set the target at 19 under.
That left Valimaki heading up the last needing an eagle to win or birdie to force a play-off but he left his second shot short and a par was the best he could manage.
Wang and Del Rey finished in a tie for third with Germany’s Marcel Schneider at 15 under.
Looking back on his touch of magic at the last, Strydom said: “It’s a funny one. I said to my caddie that it’s either got to go up in the air and if you hit a bit behind it, it’s wet.
“I took a wedge, it came out absolutely phenomenal. I didn’t think it was coming out that good. But it did and ended up where it was.”
Finland’s Sami Valimaki was three clear of the field but Strydom reeled him in
Strydom’s maiden win, at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, was back in December and helped him get over the line here.
He said: “It’s a mindset that’s changing at the moment. When you’ve been in that situation before and you know you can do it again.”
He added: “I was thinking about not being here this week. Hitting it so badly. My coach flew in and my wife said to me, ‘listen, maybe this is your week’. And look what happened, it’s my week.”
Scotsman Grant Forrest and English pair Paul Waring and Richard Mansell were in the group sharing sixth on 14 under.
Tom McKibbin, a 20-year-old from Northern Ireland, who was the first-round leader after shooting a 64, finished in a tie for 11th at 13 under.
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