Britain’s Justin Rose completed a solid final day’s golf with a one-under-par 69 in the final round to win the Chunichi Crowns by five strokes from Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng on Sunday. Rose led from day one and came into the final round at Nagoya Golf Club with a four-stroke advantage in which he never looked like relinquishing.
Rose who promised so much since finishing fourth at the 1998 British Open at the age of 17 was unable to match his 63 on Saturday but holed out on a 14-under-par total of 266 for a comfortable victory. Birdies at the second and eighth holes gave Rose an added cushion, with the only blot on his card a bogey at the 14th.
“The key to managing this course was to play the par-threes solidly”, said Rose. He pocketed 24 million-yen or $188,800 and a brand new Toyota. Marksaeng, the nearest challenger to Rose fired a closing round 67 to finish on 271, one stroke ahead of American Mark Wilson, who closed with a 69.
Filed by James Shortt
