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S Korea's Todd Baek comes from behind to win Haikou Championship

By Chen Xiangfeng | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2018-05-13 21:33
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South Korea's Todd Baek takes a swing at the Haikou Championship, May 13, 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

South Korea's Todd Baek won his second PGA TOUR Series-China title Sunday with a come-from-behind victory at the weather-affected Haikou Championship, which was reduced to 54 holes.

Baek started the third and final round at Sunac Haikou 3KM Golf two shots behind American Charlie Saxon and a shot at closing 5-under 67 for a 10-under total of 206, two ahead of three-time winner Saxon (71) and Canada's Justin Shin (67), also a former winner on the Tour.

American Trevor Sluman (72), who started the day one behind Saxon, finished fourth at 6-under, one ahead of Japan's Hidetomo Sato (69), while China’s Hongfu Wu (70) and Hong Kong's Motin Yeung (70) shared sixth place at 4-under.

China's Daxing Jin (73) bogeyed the last two holes to drop back into a share of eighth at 3-under with English duo Callum Tarren (73) and Stephen Lewton (74), and American Charlie Netzel (71).

Baek, 26, shot an opening 65 to lead after a weather-delayed first round finished on Friday, then immediately played his second round, with a 74 putting him in the penultimate group on Sunday.

The burly South Korean started well, with birdies on Nos. 1, 3 and 7 offset by a bogey on the second, although Shin was even hotter on the front nine, with five birdies, but couldn't pick up any more shots on the back where he racked up nine straight pars.

Saxon, though, remained in pole position after the front nine, where three birdies put him 10-under, but bogeyed Nos. 13 and 17 on the way home.

Baek carried his form into the second nine, bagging further birdies on Nos. 10, 13 and the par-5 18th to set a target no one could match, with Saxon only able to secure a par on the last when he needed an eagle to force a playoff.

South Korea's Todd Baek celebrates after winning his second PGA TOUR Series-China title at the Haikou Championship, May 13, 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

For Baek, it was a welcome return to winning ways, having won the Chateau Junding Penglai Open in Yantai in the Tour's inaugural season in 2014 and finished fifth on the Order of Merit to earn status on the Web.com Tour, where he played full seasons in 2015 and 2016.

"I feel great. I played well all week," Baek said. "It feels great as it's been a while since my last win, which was on this Tour in 2014. I’m looking forward to playing the rest of the year here."

After only playing one hole on Thursday, when play was stopped at 12:20 pm, Baek played almost two rounds in the tropical heat on Friday, and didn’t play at all on Saturday.

"I played 35 holes on Friday, which was very tough in this heat, got up to almost 40, 41 degrees, so I drank a lot of water, and tried to stay as cool as possible. It was very hard, but everyone had the same conditions," he said.

Saxon, 25, was disappointed not to capitalize on a two-shot lead going into the back nine, but admitted he was delighted with the form that has now propelled him to the top of the Order of Merit.

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