Golf: Rumford wins Ballantine's with play-off eagle

ICHEON, South Korea: Australia's Brett Rumford survived a late wobble to win the Ballantine's Championship in dramatic style on Sunday, hitting an eagle on the first extra hole to seal the win.

Rumford blew a two-shot lead on the last two holes of regulation, double-bogeying the 17th and missing the fairway on the 18th before settling for par, leaving him tied at 11-under with Marcus Fraser and Peter Whiteford.

But Rumford recovered his poise on the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, hitting a much better tee shot and landing his second shot just a few feet above the hole before securing a fourth European Tour title.

Scotland's Whiteford, who had missed a relatively short birdie putt on the 18th to win in regulation at the par-72 Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, South Korea, and Australia's Fraser both birdied the first extra hole.

Rumford started the final round in blistering form, picking up where he left off on Saturday, when he hit five consecutive birdies at the end of the third round.

Wielding a hot putter, the Australian started round four with two birdies and closed the front nine with four birdies in a row to make the turn in 30.

He hit his first bogey of the day on the 13th but bounced back with a birdie on the 14th and appeared to be in control before the driver failed him on the 17th and 18th.

Noren, the overnight leader by one shot, stumbled to a final-round 74. He took a penalty stroke on the second when his ball moved as he addressed his par putt and double-bogeyed the 10th and 13th to drop out of contention.