SHENZHEN, China (AP) - Austrian Bernd Wiesberger beat England’s Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff on Sunday to win the Shenzhen International.
Wiesberger went into the final round with a three-shot lead and eight shots ahead of Fleetwood but the Englishman fired a 63 to finish tied at 16 under.
Wiesberger’s 71 featured par saves on the 12th and 17th and he nearly hit the pin with his approach to the last hole but was forced to settle for a par and a trip back up the 18th.
Wiesberger hit his drive in the playoff over the water off the tee and ended up in the bank while Fleetwood played safely onto the fairway and found the heart of the green with his second shot.
The pressure was on Wiesberger and he delivered, placing his approach to five feet and making the putt for a birdie.
“I’m feeling a bit relieved now I have to say,” said Wiesberger. “I’ve had a stretch of really good events the last couple of months and it’s really nice to have a trophy again.”
Wiesberger’s fourth win on the European Tour came in his 200th event and was his first in a playoff after losing the previous three times he had gone to extra holes.
Fleetwood birdied the second, sixth and seventh and chipped in to eagle the ninth.
Another birdie followed on the 13th before three straight from the 15th took the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner to the top of the leaderboard.
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