MELBOURNE: Australian Rod Pampling survived three playoff holes to capture the Australian Masters from compatriot Marcus Fraser at Huntingdale here on Sunday.

American-based Pampling, 39, finished the regulation 72 holes tied at 12-under 276 with Fraser and prevailed at the third sudden-death playoff hole to take the Masters gold jacket and 270,000 dollars (175,500 US) winner's cheque.

It was Pampling's first Australasian Tour victory since the 1999 Canon Challenge.

"I played great today and I hit a lot of quality shots and that's all I kept telling myself every time we got back to the 18th tee was, 'hit a shot, hit a shot'," Pampling said.

"They're never fun to be in, you work so hard for 72 holes then you still have to go again, but thankfully I came out on the right end."

Pampling, who has won twice in five years on the US PGA Tour, finished 98th in earnings on this year's Tour with a best finish of second behind Phil Mickelson at the Colonial Invitational in Texas last May.

Fraser, who plays on the European Tour, began the final round five shots adrift of joint overnight leaders Robert Allenby and Michael Sim, while Pampling was three shots off the pace.

But Fraser birdied six of his first eight holes to zoom to the outright lead, while Pampling joined him when he sank a long eagle putt on the par five seventh.

Fraser was thankful just to be competing after straining his back competing in Spain seven weeks ago.

"The last two days is the best golf I've played by a country mile – I feel like I'm back to the way I should be playing," he said.

"I reckon I'm going to get my hands on that trophy one day."

It was a traumatic final day for tournament favourite Allenby, who came unstuck with a disastrous double bogey at the par three 15th and limped home with a one-over 73 and nine under 279 in third place.

Allenby, who revealed on Saturday his cancer-stricken mother, Sylvia, does not have long to live, struggled to contain his emotions after that let-down.

His mother was at the course in a golf cart to watch him play the final holes and Allenby later admitted the emotional weight might have harmed his performance.

South African Tim Clark, who was the halfway leader, recovered from his disastrous third round of 76 to finish in a tie for fourth after a five-under 67.

Also on eight-under 280 were Australian Nathan Green and Sweden's Alexander Noren.

The Australasian PGA Tour continues this week with the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum in Queensland.


- AFP/so