Hong Kong, November 25: England’s Aaron Rai battled through a rain-soaked day to prevail over compatriot Matthew Fitzpatrick by signing for a one-under-par 69 to win the HONMA Hong Kong Open presented by Amundi by one-shot on Sunday.

Despite holding an overnight six-shot lead, victory at the Hong Kong Golf Club was never going to be a straight forward affair especially from a fast-charging Fitzpatrick, who was determined to put a dent to Rai’s title hopes.

Fitzpatrick stormed to the turn in 31 after reeling in three birdies including two in his opening two holes. He cut Rai’s lead to just one with a birdie on 16 but a costly bogey on 17 proved to be his undoing as he allowed Rai to open a two-shot lead heading into the final hole.

While Fitzpatrick parred the 18, the comfortable two-shot advantage that Rai enjoyed meant he could even afford to three-putt his closing hole for a winning total of 17-under-par 263.

India’s Shubhankar Sharma meanwhile extended his lead atop the Habitat for Humanity Standings after signing for a 67 to cap another commendable week by finishing tied for sixth with Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera bello.

Did you know?

• Prior to his win at the HONMA Hong Kong Open, Aaron Rai has won three times on the Challenge Tour and was seeking his first win on the main European Tour.
• He broke the course record at the HONMA Hong Kong Open with a second round 61.
• When Rai won the Kenya Open last year, his Kenya-born mother tearfully embraced him on the green. This was the first time his mother had returned to the country of her birth since she left it in 1970.
• Rai aspired to be a racing driver when growing up.
• He wears two gloves and meditates to keep himself calm on the course. He said he was eight when started wearing two gloves which was given to him by someone who makes them.
• Matthew Fitzpatrick bettered his previous best finish at the Hong Kong Open in 2015 when he finished tied-third in 2015.
• Like Fitzpatrick, Shubhankar Sharma also improved on his previous best result when he finished tied-10th at the Hong Kong Open last year.
• Sharma won his first Asian Tour title at the Joburg Open in South Africa last December and went on to claim his second victory two months later in Malaysia.
• Sharma has played in all four Major championships this year, following the footsteps of Jeev Milkha Singh in 2007 and Anirban Lahiri in 2015 and 2016.
• He is the youngest Indian to do so and he was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award from the President of India in September.

Players’ Quotes

Aaron Rai (Eng) Fourth round 69 (-1), Total 263 (-17)

Matt played incredible all day.  It was tough, but again, I really just tried to play the course as much as possible, rather than Matt, or anyone else who was playing well today.  I luckily managed to do that for most of the day.  It was tough considering the situation but very pleased.  Matt had been playing so well and putting so well, so I didn’t expect to see that and you don’t want to see that, but it did give me more of a cushion coming down 18, which was nice.  It’s a tough closing hole, and it’s nice to have as many shots as you can coming in.  This win is incredible.  It definitely hasn’t sunk in just yet.  Probably need a few days for that to happen, but it’s incredible to win on any tour, let alone The European Tour and let alone the Hong Kong Open.  It’s an incredible course, incredible event, very well supported.  The crowd have been amazing.  Just very grateful. My whole game was pretty solid all week.  I drove it well, which is important to get it into position.  The iron play was very consistent, very solid, and the putts, as well.  Didn’t miss too many short ones.

Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng) Fourth round 64 (-6), Total 264 (-16)

It’s obviously disappointing on 17 there as it was such a simple bogey, but yeah, I gave it a good go.  It was always going to be tough to beat him.  The last two days, he’s been very solid golf and has not given anything away, which made my life more difficult. I love this week just to start the season.  Wish it was January.  But it’s the end of the year now and I’ll have some time off and just reevaluate where I’m at and take it from there.

Shubhankar Sharma (Ind) Fourth round 67 (-3), Total 271 (-9)

Yes, I’m definitely very happy with this top-10 finish.  It got really tough out there today with the rain, and in the end I was just pleased to finish off well.  I was trying my best to stay calm and I’m really happy with the way I played.  I got off to a bad start, but the par on the last hole was very nice, so I’m very happy.  It’s obviously great to be able to extend my lead on the Habitat for Humanity standing, but again, like I said, it’s not over until it’s over.  So, we have to wait until we finish. I’m going to give Mauritius and South Africa Open a miss to get some rest but I’ll definitely, go back home and rest and just work on the things that I have to work on and hopefully everything is set for Jakarta.

Leading scores after round 4 of the Honma Hong Kong Open presented by Amundi being played at the par 70, 6710 Yards Hong Kong GC course (am – denotes amateur):

263 – Aaron Rai (ENG) 65-61-68-69.

264 – Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 70-62-68-64.

269 – Victor Perez (FRA) 71-65-66-67, Jason Scrivener (AUS) 65-69-67-68.

270 – David Drysdale (SCO) 68-69-67-66.

271 – Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP) 72-69-67-63, Shubhankar Sharma (IND) 69-68-67-67, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 70-67-64-70.

272 – Micah Lauren Shin (USA) 66-67-72-67, Kim Koivu (FIN) 69-67-69-67, Matthias Schwab (AUT) 69-69-66-68, Jake Higginbottom (AUS) 69-65-69-69, Scott Hend (AUS) 68-66-69-69.

273 – Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 68-68-72-65, Ashley Chesters (ENG) 68-67-71-67, Justin Harding (RSA) 69-69-67-68, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 68-68-66-71, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 69-65-66-73.

274 – Thomas Aiken (RSA) 67-71-73-63.

Ends.