Jakarta: England’s Steve Lewton ended a 10-year wait for a second Asian Tour victory by winning the Indonesia Open on Sunday in a tense sudden-death play-off.
Lewton’s birdie on the second extra hole was enough to beat third-round leader Aaron Wilkin from Australia and China’s Sampson Zheng after the trio had all finished on 16-under par 268 at Damai Indah Golf Club in Jakarta.
It was a relief for the 41-year-old Lewton who had thrown away the lead with an ugly double-bogey six on the 18th in regulation for a round of three-under 68, after birdies at 16 and 17 had taken him two strokes clear.
Asian Tour rookie Zheng also had a 68 while Wilkin, who recorded a course-record 61 on Thursday, carded a two-under 69.
“It’s just been a long, long time, and I feel like in the last three years, I’ve been playing quite good,” said Lewton, who had been runner-up at the Indonesia Open for the past two years.
“It’s just nice to get over the line and win a tournament again, because it’s been a long time since I had that feeling.”
His previous win came at the Taiwan Masters in 2014, two years after he made his Asian Tour debut.
“I birdied 16 and 17 and then I had a mini-disaster on 18,” admitted Lewton, who found water off the tee.
“I was just very happy to get it done the second time of asking in the play-off. I am very happy not to finish second again.”
Australia’s Travis Smyth (67) and China’s Liu Yanwei (68) tied for fourth a stroke behind.
