Lonard grabs Australian Open title
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Lonard started the last round two behind leader Downes
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RYE, Australia, (Reuters) -- World number 42 Peter Lonard clinched his first Australian Open title when a birdie at the 72nd hole edged out U.S. Open runner-up Stephen Leaney and Chris Downes by one stroke in Rye.
Lonard, who started the day two shots behind overnight leader Downes, closed with a three-under-par 69 to finish on nine-under 279.
The 2002 Australian PGA and Australian Masters winner, Lonard set up his win with a stunning approach shot to the par-five 18th.
Lonard, who in 1993 contracted the mosquito-carried Ross River virus which damages the eyes and feared he might never play professional golf again, said it was a special moment.
"If you'd told me back in the dark days that I'd be winning any of these, I'd have said you were crazy," Lonard said.
"Now it means I'm a part of Australian golf history for the rest of time.
Lonard, 36, fired birdies on the par-five 13th, par-four 16th and par-five 18th holes in his five-birdie, two-bogey round.
Leaney, who was in the final playing group with Downes, needed a birdie on the 18th to force a playoff but failed to hole his 10-foot putt after a 50-foot birdie attempt lipped out of the cup on the 17th hole.
Downes, 23, who held a one-stroke lead overnight from Leaney, had five bogeys in a 72 and had to be content with equal second place with Leaney (71) on 280, eight under, after picking up a birdie on the last hole.
Craig Jones (71) and 44-year-old Peter Fowler, who closed with a 70 and won the Australian Open 20 years ago, shared fourth place on 281.
Lonard said he was excited to join Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Peter Thomson and Greg Norman as Australian Open winners.
"It's a catalogue of the greatest golfers in the world," he said.
Western Australian Leaney, 34, said: "I guess I can't be disappointed. It was just a shame that I did not make that putt at the last.
Leaney said he would keep coming home to try to win a national open championship.
"Even if we don't have Tiger (Woods) and Ernie (Els) and Vijay (Singh) play this event, it still has such a great history that everybody wants to win it," he said.
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