Aaron Baddeley and Daniel Chopra fought tooth and nail for Golden Jacket on offer to the winner of the MasterCard Masters at Melbourne?s Huntingdale Golf Club with the Australian finally coming out on top, much to the delight of the home fans.
The pair had finished level on 13-under par after a dramatic final in which five players shared the lead with just nine holes to play. Chopra had a great chance to win in normal time after a run of eagle, birdie at 15 and 16 left him clear of the field. But a birdie from Baddeley at 17 and a bogey from Chopra meant that the second play-off of the weekend was on.
After three hard-fought extra holes, the pair were still level. However, a courageous par from Baddeley, after he had found heavy rough from the tee meant that Chopra?s miss from 5ft was enough to hand the 26-year-old the title.
?In the play-off I felt like I was swinging the club really well, hitting the same shots and I felt that I?d wear him down,? said Baddeley, who learnt his golf at Huntingdale. ?It?s fantastic to win at home.?
England?s David Horsey produced the round of the day, with a 7-under-par 65 to leap into a share of fifth place. While Stuart Appleby suffered the agony of a double-bogey at the last to slip into third, with fellow countryman Peter O?Malley finishing fourth.
MasterCard Masters final placings
-13 A Baddeley (AUS)
-13 D Chopra (SWE)
-11 S Appleby (AUS)
-10 P O?Malley (AUS)
-9 D Horsey (ENG)
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