Round 4 - Fabrizio Zanotti claims win with closing 63

February 13, 2017

Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay shot a final-round 63 after a birdie and eagle on his closing two holes to win his second European Tour title at the Maybank Championship.

Zanotti began the day six shots off the lead at Saujana Golf and Country Club, but a birdie on the 71st hole saw him hit the top of the leaderboard for the first time all week.

He claimed a one-shot victory over American David Lipsky, who closed with a 67.

On the par-5 18th, Zanotti was on the green in two and rolled in a 15-foot putt for eagle.

''It feels really good to be a winner again. I've been working a lot and I was not in my best run of form, missing three cuts in a row,'' he said. ''But that's in the past and today I'm a winner again and it feels great.''

Zanotti finished the tournament with a 19-under 269.

''This week I just came here to try and take it easy,'' he said. ''This win is huge for me. All the hard work you do at home and all the time being away from family, it pays off.''

Bernd Weisberger was two shots behind Zanotti in third after a final-round 67.

Finishing behind the Austrian was Frenchman Alexander Levy, followed by overnight leader Danny Willett and China's Li Haotong, who were tied for fifth.

U.S. Masters champion Willett, who had led the chasing pack into the final round, faltered with five bogeys and shot a final-round 73.

Round 3 - Danny Willett in contention

February 12, 2017

U.S. Masters champion Danny Willett shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday at the Maybank Championship to finish the day three strokes ahead of American David Lipsky heading into Sunday's final round.

Willett had a 16-under total of 200 after 54 holes.

The 29-year-old Englishman seemed to be thriving despite unpredictable weather conditions at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, opening with three rounds of 67 or better for just the third time in his career.

''It was an up and down. I'd have taken 67 at the start of the day,'' said Willett, who birdied the last two holes.

''I'm not sure what will win it to be honest, depends on if we pitch up and it's flat calm. I think there's a few guys that can go low if it's windy like this. One or two under par is a good knock out there so I think it all depends on the weather tomorrow.''

Willett has not won a tournament since the 2016 Masters and has only three top-10 finishes since his win at Augusta.

Lipsky, looking for a first title since 2014, shot 68 Saturday in the tournament sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

''Just keep doing what I'm doing. I'm playing pretty well and giving myself opportunities,'' said Lipsky. ''My last birdie before 18 was on 10, so I'm happy to have made that. Danny and I are friends and it'll be neat out there competing.''

Round 2 - Bernd Wiesberger leads after birdie blitz

February 11, 2017

Bernd Wiesberger put on a clinic with his irons to lead Danny Willett by one stroke halfway through the Maybank Championship on Friday.

Wiesberger has been on a hot streak, and the Austrian came to life at Saujana club from the par-4 seventh hole to notch nine consecutive birdies of his 11 overall.

That haul stands as the longest birdie run of the year, despite two bogeys.

The three-time European Tour winner acknowledged his feat after carding a 9-under 63 in tropical heat.

''It felt kind of natural. I hit pretty good shots and really only holed two long ones which were the last birdie of the nine on 15 and about 20-footer on 11,'' Wiesberger said.

''Apart from that, I just hit them pretty close and felt like I had a good idea of what the ball was going to do on the green today, which was nice.''

Wiesberger finished tied for second at the British Masters in October, and followed that with three consecutive fourth-place finishes at the Turkish Airlines Open, the World Tour Championship, and Abu Dhabi Championship.

Willett finished the second round with a 67.

''I holed a couple of nice putts when I needed to. I missed a couple of good chances, too, but if someone told me at the start of the day, '5 under,' I would have bitten their hand off,'' the Masters champion said.

David Lipsky of the U.S. (67) and the surprising Michael Lorenzo-Vera of France (65) finished the day tied for third, three shots behind Wiesberger.

Defending champion Marcus Fraser missed the cut by one shot following a 1-over 73, which included two consecutive bogeys on the back nine. The cut was at 2 under overall.

Round 1 - Marc Warren leads with opening 63

February 10, 2017

Marc Warren overcame a missed cut last week to shoot a 9-under 63 and take a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the Maybank Championship on Thursday.

The Scotsman, a three-time winner on the European Tour, nearly lost his playing card last year but a fifth-place finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship set up a strong finish to 2016.

Thai teenager Phachara Khongwatmai was in second place after a 65, one stroke ahead of a group of six which included Masters champion Danny Willett, Peter Uihlein and local favorite Arie Irawan.

Warren had four birdies and an eagle on his opening nine holes at Saujana Golf and Country Club. He added back-nine birdies on 12, 14 and 17 in his bogey-free round.

''Once the wind picked up on the back nine, it was just a case of staying solid and hitting the greens,'' Warren said. ''More of the same tomorrow. My iron play was very good recently, and it was nice to get around without a bogey.''

The 17-year-old Khongwatmai won the Hua Hin Open on the ASEAN PGA Tour at the age of 14 in 2013, and is playing in his seventh European Tour event.

''I'm more confident in 2017,'' Khongwatmai said. "My style is to be as relaxed as possible.''

Willett had a morning start and birdied his first two holes after starting on the 10th tee.

''It's always nice to get out early when you're in Malaysia,'' Willett said. ''It was still roasting hot this morning, but the wind stays calm for the first hour or so and allows you to get some shots in there nice and close.''

It's been a slow start to the season for Willett, who missed the cut in Abu Dhabi and was tied for 54th in Dubai as defending champion.

Scores

 

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