Malacca, Malaysia: Casey O’Toole dominated the PGM Tiara Championship when he closed with a sparkling eight-under-par 64 to win his maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) title by 11 shots.
The 25-year-old American, who held a four-shot lead heading into the final round, fired nine birdies against a lone bogey to win on 21-under-par 267 total at the RM200,000 (about US$50,000) event.
He picked up the winner’s cheque for US$8,127, stretching his lead on the ADT Order of Merit to US$52,393, and received six Official World Golf Ranking points courtesy of his career breakthrough victory at the Tiara Melaka Golf and Country Club.
Sejun Yoon, also of the United States, capped his best finish on the ADT after signing for a second consecutive 71 to take second place while Filipino Mars Pucay (69), Finland’s Janne Kaske (71) and Bangladeshi Shakhawat Sohel (71) shared third on 279.
Thai duo Nirun Sae-Ueng and Chanat Sakulpolphaisan settled two shots back in sixth after posting rounds of 71 and 67 respectively at the 25th leg of this season’s ADT schedule.
O’Toole, who has notched eight other top-10s this season, underlined his credentials with a final-round display which saw him tie his personal best 18-hole score and set a new 72-hole record for himself. He also matched the ADT’s largest winning margin with his 11-shot triumph.
“I did everything really well today and I made a lot of nice putts. My putter was definitely the difference for me,” said the Thailand-based O’Toole, who needed only 26 putts.
O’Toole, who hails from Alabama, got off to a flying start with five birdies in seven holes before stumbling with a bogey to turn in 32. He added further birdies on 10, 13, 15 and 18.
O’Toole now heads to Singapore for the Asian Tour’s World Classic Championship at Laguna National next week, which he has entered through a sponsor’s invitation.