Banner III "Did you see the 28m winning eagle on the 18th hole?"... Watson 2nd place

'Asian Tour Special Match' 1.2 Billion Jackpot at Saudi International, Arnaus 3rd, Defending Champ Johnson Tied 8th

Harold Varner III is cheering after making the winning eagle on the 18th hole of the final day at the Saudi International. King Abdullah Economic City (Saudi) = Getty Images / Multibits Photo by Multibits

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It is a surprising victory for Harold Varner III (USA), ranked 99th in the world.

On the night of the 6th (Korean time), at the Royal Greens Golf Club (par 70, 7,048 yards) in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia, the final day of the Asian Tour 2022/2023 season opener PIF Saudi International (total prize money $5 million) ended. Despite strong winds, Varner added 1 under par to secure a one-stroke victory (13 under par 267). This is his second professional win in six years since winning the 2016 DP World Tour (European Tour) Australian PGA Championship, with a winner's prize of $1 million (1.2 billion KRW).

Varner started the final round with a one-stroke lead, recording one eagle, two birdies, one bogey, and one double bogey. He began with a birdie on the 5th hole but faltered with a double bogey on the 14th hole (both par 4) and a bogey on the 16th hole (par 3). After shooting 6 under par, he was overtaken by Bubba Watson (USA), who had finished earlier, by two strokes. However, Varner changed the momentum with a birdie on the 17th hole (par 4), and on the final 18th hole (par 5), his third shot, a 28-meter putt from off the green, rolled into the hole.

Harold Varner III is smiling while holding the trophy right after winning the Saudi International. King Abdullah Economic City (Saudi) = Photo by Getty Images / Multibits

Varner III debuted on the PGA Tour in 2016 but had not yet won a tournament. His best result was runner-up at the RBC Heritage in April last year. With the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund (PIF) pouring in appearance fees, attracting top players to this event, Varner showed consistent performance and won. "Something unbelievable happened," said Varner III, "I kept working hard thinking about winning, and finally, today, I achieved that dream," he cheered.

Bubba Watson, who has 12 PGA Tour wins including two Masters titles, recorded one eagle and seven birdies (one bogey, one double bogey). However, he settled for second place (12 under par 268) due to Varner III's 'magical shot.' "Harold is a truly beloved friend," he said, "a player who improves every year," congratulating him on the victory. Adri Arnaus (Spain) finished third (10 under par 270), and Cameron Smith (Australia) tied for fourth (9 under par 271).

Dustin Johnson (USA), the winner in 2019 and last year, finished tied for eighth (7 under par 273). Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Xander Schauffele and the oldest major champion Phil Mickelson (both USA) ended the tournament tied for 18th (4 under par 276). Among Korean players, Kim Bi-o (32, Hoban Construction) posted the best result, tied for 28th (1 under par 279). Asian Tour money leader Kim Joo-hyung (20, CJ Logistics) improved by three strokes to finish tied for 45th (1 over par 281).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.