US rookie David Lipsky pulled off a superb chip-in birdie to defeat a luckless Elmer Salvador of the Philippines at the first play-off hole of the inaugural Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic on Saturday.
David Lipsky celebrating his maiden victory
The 23-year-old American, who won the Asian Tour's Qualifying School in January, claimed his maiden professional victory in front of six-time Major champion Nick Faldo, who watched the shootout at the Angkor Golf Resort, a course he designed.
Starting the day seven shots off the lead, Lipsky closed with a sparkling seven-under-par 65 for a 15-under-par 273 total.
A gritty Salvador had to make a 10-foot birdie putt at the last hole of regulation play to win the title outright, but missed for a 68 and missed out again in the play-off.
It was a frenetic final day in which six players were tied for the lead at one stage or another before Lipsky and Salvador, who also lost in a play-off at last year's ISPS Handa Singapore Classic, were able to edge ahead of the pack.
"I really can't believe I'm here right now," said a jubilant Lipsky, who earned US$47,550 and a priceless Tour exemption until the end of 2014.
"The chip-in was unbelievable. I practice my short game pretty hard and I thought I had a chance to make it. It was one of those makeable ones up the hill. Just tried to give it a good strike and see what happened," added the young Korean-American.
Before the play-off, the pivotal moment for Lipsky came at the 15th hole.
"I won Q-school and I knew I had the game in me. I'm happy it showed up here. On 15, I saw that everyone was bunched on 13-under. I had a 50 foot putt (for birdie) and I jarred it and then thought I could have a chance to win," said Lipsky, who went on to birdie the 16th hole and pull ahead of the pack.
"This is phenomenal as it opens up so many doors for me," he added
The 42-year-old Salvador had a good look at an outright win but misjudged his putt at the 72nd hole.
"My putting was sometimes good, sometimes bad. On 14, I had a putter length chance for birdie but I didn't get it in. On 18, I charged my putt and my line was not good. That was my chance gone," lamented the Filipino.
The lanky Turner was disappointed he finished third, one shot shy of the play-off after an even par 72.
"It wasn't meant to be. I just couldn't get a putt to drop. I guess I was trying too hard to make the putts instead of letting it happen," said the Irishman.
His consolation was that he earned a spot into the next Asian Tour stop at the Panasonic Open India in two weeks' time.
"That was the goal, to finish top five. I guess I accomplished that. But having a chance to win, that's disappointing but I'll take a ton of positives from this, it's been a great week," said Turner.
Overnight leader Kim Hyung-sung had to settle for joint seventh place after signing off with a disappointing 75.
TOP 10 LEADERBOARD
273 - David Lipsky (USA) 73-68-67-65 (Lipsky won the play-off with a birdie on the first extra hole)
273 - Elmer Salvador (Phi) 68-69-68-68
274 - Niall Turner (Irl) 67-67-68-72.
275 - Kalle Samooja (Fin) 72-69-69-65, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 69-64-76-66, Baek Seuk-Hyun (Kor) 66-71-69-69.
276 - Kim Gi-Whan (Kor) 69-71-70-66, Thanyakon Khrongpha (Tha) 71-66-68-71, Kim Hyung-Sung (Kor) 68-65-68-75.
278 - Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 71-70-71-66, Scott Barr (Aus) 71-71-69-67, Berry Henson (Usa) 68-72-70-68, Chawalit Plaphol (Tha) 68-70-71-69.
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