Australia’s Cameron Smith finishes one shot behind winner Ben Campbell at Hong Kong Open

Cameron Smith has fallen simply wanting his third win of the yr in one of the extraordinary event finishes that golf aficionados might keep in mind.

Hong Kong Open

Leaderboard

261 — 19-under: Ben Campbell (NZ)262 — 18-under: Cameron Smith (AUS)263 — 17-under: Richard T Lee (CAN)263 — 17-under Phachara Khongwatmai (THA)264 — 16-under: Yubin Jang (KOR) 265 — 15-under: Miguel Carballo (ARG)265 — 15-under: Sangmoon Bae (KOR)  

Smith seemed unusually content material to accept second to New Zealander Ben Campbell on the Hong Kong Open after Thai Phachara Khongwatmai’s brazen conduct late within the last spherical.

Holding a one-shot lead over Smith with three holes to play, Khongwatmai reduce his drive on the par-4 sixteenth into the native flora at Asian Tour’s Hong Kong Golf Membership.

After failing to hack his second shot out of the bushes, Khongwatmai nearly held the event to ransom as he agonised and antagonised over his subsequent transfer.

He pushed the principles to the boundary in looking for an unplayable lie, and left the mild-mannered Smith and Campbell exasperated along with his makes an attempt to achieve a bonus from his personal poor play.

Whereas Khongwatmai sought aid from his lie within the bushes as his taking part in companions needed to wait, Smith and Campbell protested.

“He is damaged these branches right here,” Campbell instructed officers, to no avail, whereas pointing to the vegetation in query. “Take a look at that, these simply acquired damaged.”

As Smith walked away, seemingly in dismay and disgust whereas probably additionally making an attempt to retain focus, worldwide TV commentators could not imagine what they had been witnessing.

“I’ve by no means seen this earlier than,” one mentioned.

“You get the impression his taking part in companions are usually not pleased.”

Finally, after some 20 minutes of delay, Khongwatmai — down on his knees with no sight of the ball after altering golf equipment twice — tried his shot.

“He is not considering clearly,” a commentator mentioned. “I actually do not suppose he’s. This might go horribly improper. His head should be in a mincer in the meanwhile.”

Miraculously, Khongwatmai chopped the ball out of the bushes and subsequent to the golf green. He finally carded a double-bogey six as Smith made par for a two-shot swing.

From one behind, Smith was one up heading to the penultimate gap.

Virtually inevitably, although, there was one other twist. Campbell and Khongwatmai birdied the seventeenth to affix Smith within the lead strolling to the final, the hardest gap on the course.

It was benefit Campbell when the Kiwi caught his method to inside 15 foot as Smith was compelled to put up after spraying his tee shot proper and beneath the timber.

Regardless of Smith nearly holing his third shot and saving par, Campbell stole the trophy with an excellent birdie at 18 to hit the lead for the primary time in a tension-filled last spherical.

Campbell closed with a four-under 66 to complete at 19 beneath for the championship, one higher than third-round chief Smith (68).

Antipodean followers might most likely see the wry smile on Smith’s face when Khongwatmai badly pulled his quick par putt on 18 to fall right into a tie for third at 17 beneath, with fast-finishing Canadian Richard Lee (64).

Regardless of the close to miss, Smith’s runner-up exhibiting — after two wins on the LIV Golf tour in 2023 — is the near-perfect preparation for the defence of his Australian PGA Championship title in Brisbane subsequent week.

AAP