Plamer holds on to clinch Clearwater title

American Ryan Palmer has hung on to win his first title at the US Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned Clearwater Classic in New Zealand.

Despite plenty of pressure from the in-form Andre Stolz on the final day, Palmer held firm throughout the last 36 holes after his magnificent Friday 63 took him to the front, and eventually got home by three shots.

The key to the win was an amazing eagle at the eighth hole when Palmer, clinging to a one-shot lead from the surging Stolz, holed his approach to regain a three-stroke advantage.

Stolz, who started the day at 10-under and three back from Palmer, had applied the early pressure with two birdies in the first six holes. At that point he was within one of Palmer who had managed a birdie and a bogey over the same stretch to be at even-par for the day.

But Palmer’s eagle at the eighth saw him back on track, and after he made the turn two-under, he added a further three birdies against a single bogey on the inward half for a final round 68.

Stolz never gave up the fight, recording five birdies - and just one bogey on the final hole - for a fine round of 68.

Another American, Kevin Johnson, also dropped a shot at the final hole to return a 67 to finish 12-under and outright third, two clear of fourth-placed David Branshaw.

Nick O’Hern’s final round 69, which included five birdies and two bogeys, left him at nine-under for the week and in fifth place.

And defending champion Peter O’Malley, who fell off the pace on Saturday when he dropped three shots in two holes, closed with a 71 to be in a three-way tie for sixth with Queensland’s Chris Downes (69) and Canada’s David Morland (69).

The Clearwater Classic was the second - after the Jacob's Creek Open last weekend in Adelaide - of two events co-sanctioned by the US secondary Nationwide Tour and the Australasian PGA Tour.

It is the second year of the co-sanctioning arrangement, which last year saw Australians Gavin Coles (Jacobs Creek Open) and O’Malley (Clearwater Classic) triumph.

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