Pampling wins playoff at Melbourne

Rod Pampling beat fellow Australian Marcus Fraser on the third playoff hole Sunday to win the Australian Masters golf tournament in Melbourne.

Both players finished 72 holes with totals of 2-under-par 276.

After his birdie at 14, Fraser parred the final four holes, and Pampling made pars at the final three holes after a birdie at the 15th.

Fraser, who birdied five of the first six holes, shot 7-under 65 and reached the playoff after beginning the day in tenth place, five shots back of co-leaders Michael Sim and Robert Allenby, both Australians.

Pampling was alone in fourth place.

Sunday, he shot 5-under 67 but two bogeys cost him a chance to secure his first European Tour tournament win before the playoff.

I played great and I hit a lot of quality shots, he said.

Allenby (73) finished alone in third place at 9-under 279, and, at 5-under 283, Sim (77) finished in a tie for 11th place with five others.