Melbourne, Australia – Amateur Jake Higginbottom fired a 5-under 67 on Sunday and that helped him come from behind and win the New Zealand Open.
Higginbottom finished at 7-under-par 281, which was good for a 1-stroke win.
Jason Norris carded a 66 to join Peter Wilson (68) in second place at minus-6. Third-round leader Mark Brown stumbled to a 1-over 73 to slide into fourth place at 4-under 284.
Higginbottom opened with a bogey, but came right back with birdies at two and three. A birdie on the eighth helped him make the turn at 4-under.
The Australian traded a bogey for a birdie from the 10th. Higginbottom flew into the lead as he drained three straight birdie attempts from the 13th. He stumbled to a bogey at 16, but erased that mistake with a birdie at No. 17.
"I was a bit shaky to start with, but it's actually good to be a couple behind after the front nine, I knew I had to go out there and make a few birdies and that's what I did," said Higginbottom, who was the first amateur to win this title since 1956. "I think I was the most nervous I've ever been on the short putt on the last."
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