An urgent phone call to his coach has led to Australia’s Brett Rumford toasting success in the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea.
Rumford, 35 ended a near six-year winless drought brilliantly holing a four-foot eagle putt at the first extra hole to win a fourth European Tour victory.
The Perth-born player, ranked 253rd in the world, had been leading by two shots with two holes to play but played a poor drive right at the par four 17th and was forced to take a penalty drop when he shot landed beside a rock.
Rumford walked off with a double bogey ‘6’ and then hit another poor drive at the last but managed to hole a 10-foot par putt in a round of 68 before being joined by fellow Australian Marcus Fraser (68) and Scotland’s Peter Whiteford (69) on 11-under par.
Brett Rumford admires the trophy after ending two-year Aussie winless drought on the European Tour. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)
Rumford immediately contacted his long-time coach, Peter Cowen who also coaches the likes of Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood, before heading to hit some half-a-dozen practice balls.
The Australian hit a superb drive at the first extra hole, the 18th before landing his second shot to just four feet for an eventual eagle ‘three’ while both Fraser, winner of the event in 2010, and Whiteford, who was looking for his first Tour success, birdied the hole.
“I battled today with my driver constantly as I was leaking a few drives right, including the whole back nine when I feeling stuck, so I had a quick word to Pete and then hit about five or six balls off the first tee, and that did the trick,” said Rumford.
“Of course, I’m going to keep that tip a secret but it’s a funny game because it was an absolute roller-coaster ride of emotions out there this afternoon.
“But my last five holes yesterday and my first nine holes today pretty much got me in position to win this tournament.
“Of course, what happened at 17 make my work a whole lot more difficult but I’m really pleased with my result, and thanks also to my caddy ‘Ronnie’ (www.golfbytourmiss.com good friend, John Roberts) and I owe a lot to him for the progress we’ve had since he’s been on the bag.”
Rumford, who collected a first prize cheque for Euro 367,500, is the first Australian to win on the European Tour in two years and he drew on the inspiration of Adam Scott who last fortnight became the first Australian in 77-years to win the Masters at Augusta.
“Scotty’s win was a huge inspiration to all of us,” he added.
“Wade Ormsby won earlier this month in India, so he’s been playing well of late, and Marcus Fraser has been playing great also.
“It’s just good on the European Tour side of things as we needed to make a shift and get a few runs on the board because the Aussie guys in the US have been doing a great job.”
Rumford started his final round in sizzling manner with six birdies in his opening nine holes including four in succession from the sixth hole.
Whiteford let slip a maiden European Tour win in his 142nd event when he missed a five-foot birdie putt at the last hole in regulation.
South African Louis Oosthuizen, and the highest world-ranked player in the field at No. 7, recorded a last round 69 for an eight under par tally and a share of fifth place.
However for a second day running the former Open Champion came unstuck at the par three, 13th hole recording a double bogey and a day after walking off the same hole with a triple bogey.
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee produced the lowest final round score of a 65 to be among five players tied in sixth place at seven under par.
