Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – Ryan Blaum closed with his second straight 4-under 68 on Saturday to win the Dominican Republic Open by two strokes.
Blaum ended his first Latinoamerica Tour title at 9-under-par 279. He had posted back-to-back top-10 finishes in his last two starts.
Third-round leader Maximiliano Godoy struggled to a 2-over 74 to fall into second place at minus-7 at the Hard Rock Golf Club at Cana Bay.
Nicolas Geyger (71) and Santiago Rivas (73) shared third place at 6-under 282. Jorge Fernandez-Valdes (69) and Julian Etulain (74) shared fifth at minus-5.
Blaum traded a birdie for a bogey from the second. He dropped in back-to-back birdies at six and seven to move to 7-under, where he was still three behind Godoy.
Godoy had three birdies and a bogey through six holes. He tripped to bogeys at seven and eight, but bounced back with a birdie on the ninth as he turned at 9-under for the tournament.
Blaum birdied the 14th to move to minus-8 and he was in the lead alone after Godoy faltered to three consecutive bogeys from the 13th. Blaum birdied the 17th to move to 9-under. Godoy matched that birdie to end two back.
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