Local hero Mamat wins Singapore Masters

Mardan Mamat burst into tears of joy and left defending champion Nick Dougherty crestfallen after deservedly scooping the OSIM Singapore Masters, his first European Tour title.

The unsung Singaporean had led at the end of the three previous rounds and, while all around him failed to mount their expected charges, he hung on to win by one stroke.

Liverpudlian Dougherty could not turn around three days of relatively disappointing form when it mattered most and, despite his plucky effort to stay in contention throughout, he had to settle for the runners-up spot and a cheque for €91,500.

In the knowledge he did not have to do anything silly, Mamat did not, and could even afford to shoot a last round 71 for his victory, with England’s Ross Fisher and Korean Charlie Wi tied for third.

The first Singaporean winner on the European Tour dedicated his win to his countrymen, adding: ``I made a good start with those two birdies and it gave me a bit more relaxation and focus. Right up to the finish Nick was trying to push me very hard.

“His last five holes he came back with three under, but there’s only one winner and that’s me. I have the opportunity to play in Europe now and I’m sure I will.”

Those back-to-back birdies immediately restored the 38-year-old’s three-shot lead and that seemed to deflate Dougherty.

He buckled on the front nine, shooting three bogeys and no birdies, giving himself a mountain he could not climb on the way home.

Still, the 23-year-old dug in, creating numerous chances to better the four shots he eventually picked up.

One opportunity for eagle went begging at the 15th and by that stage the holes were running out to close the gap to the ever-solid Mamat, even if the eventual winner’s wayward tee shot at the last, which but for a kind bounce could have ended out of bounds, betrayed a rare display of nerves.

It left Dougherty, one of the hot favourites for victory in a relatively weak field, still looking for win number two on the European Tour.

He said: “I’ve been threatening to play that badly all week and it just went horribly wrong for me on the front nine. I fought back well, but it was not enough in the end.

“Mardan did himself proud today. It is tough to hold a bunch of us off and he did really well.”

Fisher should have been a serious contender for the win on the last day but suffered a strange front nine.

A double bogey at the second was followed up with three straight birdies, a bogey and then a second double bogey for an outward 38.

Three birdies in his last nine holes lifted him to 10 under and into a share of third with Wi.

The Korean had been up there all day, making three birdies, but two bogeys - the last of which came with an overhit chip from off the green at the 17th - cost him dearly at the end.

A third Englishman, Jonathan Lomas, found himself tied with Thai Chapchai Nirat for fifth place at nine under.

It was a bad day for the Irish contingent with all three dropping down the field. Michael Hoey and David Higgins finished tied for 52nd on three under, while Peter Lawrie disappointingly finished on five over after two successive rounds of 76.