Alex Prugh (AFP)
Unheralded American Alex Prugh secured a breakthrough tournament victory when he stormed home to win the 600,000-dollar New Zealand Open at The Hills course near Queenstown Sunday.
Prugh, in only his second year on the nationwide tour, shot a final-round eight-under 64 on the par 72 course to finish on 19-under 269, three shots clear of overnight leader Martin Piller.
Jim Herman, who like Piller shot a final round 68, jumped from seventh to finish third on 274, completing a United States top three.
Six golfers were tied for fourth, two shots adrift of Herman, Andrew Bonhomme, Stephen Dartnall, Peter Senior and Craig Parry, all from Australia, American Jeff Gove and New Zealander Josh Geary.
Piller went into the final day one-shot clear of a group of five including Prugh, and although he had a steady final 18 holes it was no match for his 24-year-old compatriot who started his charge with an eagle two on the eighth.
He picked up further strokes on the 11th, 12th, 14th and 16th and then nailed a 25-foot (eight-metre) putt on the 17th for his second eagle.
"The eighth really kick-started my round," said Prugh, adding his aim on the final day was to keep bogeys off his card.
Aside from Prugh's winning charge, the individual highlight was a rare albatross by Welshman Richard Johnson on the par-four 15th hole.
Johnson, who finished 10th on 277, aimed for a gap between the sand traps surrounding the entrance to the green and quickly heard the noise when the ball fell into the hole.
That compensated for some woeful putting through the week, he said.
"I'd have missed it if it had stopped two feet short," he joked.
"I just putted like a complete idiot."
© 2009 AFP/sid
