Tasting Success

Brett Rumford tames Blackstone course and overcomes top field to claim the sixth edition of the Ballantine's Championship in Korea

Inspired by Adam Scott’s Masters victory, Australian Brett Rumford sank a four-foot eagle Rumford collects his fourth piece of European Tour silverware

putt on the first play-off hole to win the Ballantine’s Championship at Blackstone Golf Club in Korea late April.

Earlier, Scotland’s Peter Whiteford faced a similar-length birdie putt on the last hole to win in regulation play, but missed it to card a 69 and join a playoff with Rumford and fellow Australian Marcus Fraser, who had each shot 68 to finish 11-under (277).

Frenchman Romain Wattel (69) finished fourth on nine-under, one ahead of tournament drawcard Louis Oosthuizen (69), the 2010 Open champion.

While Whiteford was signing his card, Rumford made a phone call to swing coach Pete Cowen in England to help him regroup following tee-shots into the trees on holes 17 and 18. After practicing on the first tee, Rumford’s fresh ‘swing thought’ helped him drive long and straight on the 543-yard, par-five 18th sudden-death.

He then struck a tournament-winning 5-iron to four feet for an eagle putt he needed to sink, with Whiteford holing his seven-foot birdie putt and Fraser, the 2010 winner, only left with a short birdie putt.

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Written by Alex Jenkins

Photography by James Cheadle

Click here to see the published article.

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