Nearly man Scott Barr ends three years of heartbreak to finally become champion at Hong Kong PGA Championship

Scott Barr captured the Ageas HKPGA Championship to dethrone four-time winner Unho Park after a gripping final round at Fanling on Wednesday.

Australian Barr, who finished runner-up to Park in the championship for three straight years from 2013 to 2015, overcame a potentially disastrous triple bogey early on in his round by holding his nerve down the closing stretch with a brilliant short-game display.

The Asian Tour regular, who held a three-shot lead overnight, finished with a 69 for a four-under-par total to pip Park, who was round in 67, by a stroke. Hong Kong’s James Stewart placed third, a further seven shots back.

“It feels great to have finally pulled it off,” said Barr, who lost a ball with his tee shot at the par-five sixth on his way to an eight, which put him back level with Park, who birdied the hole. “I said I was going to attack the course today, which was what I did, but it backfired on me with the triple bogey. It threw the tournament wide open, but I composed myself and was able to play nicely down the back nine to get it done. I’m a happy man.”

The lead exchanged hands on numerous occasions down the closing stretch but a Barr birdie at the par-five 16th went unanswered and he sealed his maiden triumph with an exquisite chip at the Eden Course’s famous closing hole.