Australia’s Brett Rumford captured the inaugural World Super 6 title with victory over 17-year-old Thai Phachara Khongwatmai in his native Perth.
Rumford was top of the leaderboard for all three stroke play rounds, and had a bye into round two for Sunday’s six-hole knockout matchplay format. He saw off Hideto Tanihara, Wade Ormsby and Adam Bland to reach the final, where a fine finish gave him a 2&1 win.
Khongwatmai finished nine shots behind Rumford after the three stroke play rounds, and was in the highest-scoring group of the 24 players to qualify for the matchplay rounds. He had to play one round more than Rumford, and beat Australians Sam Brazel, Lucas Herbert and Matthew Millar to reach the semi-finals, where he easily overcame Jason Scrivener 3&1.
Rumford won the opening hole in the final at Lake Karrinyup, only for his teenage opponent to level at the next following a wayward drive from the Australian. At the fourth hole, Rumford was in a perilous spot in sandy soil under trees to the left of the green, but played a deft escape over a bunker and holed from 12 feet for a birdie four. Then at the next he pitched to two feet at the par three, and Khongwatmai conceded after taking two to escape from a bunker.
It was a sixth European Tour title for 39 year old Rumford, who had gone 80 events since his last win at the China Open in 2013, and it enabled him to regain full playing rights on the Tour.
“It really comes down to the people,” he said of the new event. “If it’s going to grow the game, and it becomes an event with a bit more excitement and thrill about it, then as a tour we’ve done a great job. I’m back and can’t be happier.”
Quarter-finals:
B Rumford bt W Ormsby, 2nd extra hole
P Khongwatmai bt M Millar, 2&1
J Scrivener bt S Jeffress, 1up
A Bland bt L Oosthuizen, 3rd extra hole
Semi-finals:
B Rumford bt A Bland, 1up
P Khongwatmai bt J Scrivener 3&1
7/8 play-off: W Ormsby bt M Millar, 1st extra hole
5/6 play-off: L Oosthuizen bt S Jeffress, 1up
3/4 play-off: A Bland bt J Scrivener, 1up
Final: B Rumford bt P Khongwatmai, 2&1