SINGAPORE, March 12: Home favourite Mardan Mamat held his nerve down the back nine to fend off a late challenge from defending champion Nick Dougherty of Britain for a one-stroke victory at the Singapore Masters on Sunday.

The 38-year-old held or shared the lead since the opening day at the $1 million co-sanctioned European and Asian Tour event, and a final round one-under 71 was enough to ensure his 12-under-par 276 total secured the title.

Mardan, who broke down in tears after sinking a three-foot putt for par at the last, became the first Singaporean to triumph in a tour event on home soil, picking up $166,600 and a two-year European Tour exemption for his week’s work.

Leading final round scores:

276 — Mardan Mamat (Singapore) 65, 70, 70, 71.

277 — Nick Dougherty (Britain) 69, 70, 67, 71.

278 — Charlie Wi (South Korea) 69, 73, 65, 71; Ross Fisher (Britain) 71, 68, 68, 71.

279 — Jonathan Lomas (Britain) 71, 74, 68, 66; Chapchai Nirat (Thailand) 73, 69, 66, 71.

281 — Andrew Butterfield (Britain) 74, 69, 66, 72; Jyoti Randhawa (India) 74, 68, 71, 68.

282 — Marcus Fraser (Australia) 65, 76, 70, 71; Prayad Marksaeng (Thailand) 67, 69, 74, 72; Anders Hansen (Denmark) 69, 74, 66, 73; Marcus Both (Australia) 68, 68, 77, 69.

283 — Ahmad Bateman (Canada) 70, 69, 74, 70; Francois Delamontagne (France) 71, 70, 72, 70; Peter Hanson (Sweden) 70, 69, 72, 72; Thaworn Wiratchant (Thailand) 76, 68, 72, 67; Joakim Haeggman (Sweden) 72, 70, 69, 72; Wei Chih Lu (Taiwan) 69, 72, 71, 71; Wade Ormsby (Australia) 67, 71, 72, 73; Ter-Chang Wang (Taiwan) 72, 70, 71, 70.

284 — Keith Horne (South Africa) 72, 72, 71, 69; Stuart Little (Britain) 71, 69, 72, 72; Prom Meesawat (Thailand) 73, 71, 67, 73; Simon Yates (Britain) 72, 71, 69, 72

285 — Anthony Kang (US) 75, 70, 67, 73; Danny Chia (Malaysia) 75, 68, 68, 74; Chris Rodgers (Britain) 72, 70, 71, 72; Wen-Chong Liang (China) 73, 72, 70, 70.

TOMS FALTERS

MIAMI: Britain’s Luke Donald overcame difficult conditions with a four-under-par 68 to hold a share of the lead after the PGA Tour third round at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on Saturday.

The 28-year-old Englishman mixed five birdies with a solitary bogey to finish on nine-under 207 after a challenging day of blustery winds and fast-running greens at the Country Club at Mirasol.

That put him level with American Billy Mayfair, who eagled the par-five 17th on the way to an even 72.

Donald and Mayfair took advantage of a stumbling finish by overnight leader David Toms, who bogeyed four of the last six holes for a 76.

Leading third round scores:

207 — Luke Donald (Britain) 72, 67, 68; Billy Mayfair (US) 68, 67, 72.

208 — Jeff Gove (US) 68, 71, 69.

209 — Daniel Chopra (Sweden) 73, 65, 71; Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 67, 71, 71.

210 — Mathias Groenberg (Sweden) 67, 71, 72; David Toms (US) 67, 67, 76.

211 — Mathew Goggin (Australia) 71, 75, 65; Pat Perez (US) 72, 71, 68; Frank Lickliter II (US) 71, 70, 70.

212 — Tom Pernice Jr (US) 74, 71, 67; Dudley Hart (US) 69, 72, 71; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 71, 67, 74.—Reuters