Matt Wallace defeats Andrew 'Beef' Johnston in Indian Open playoff

NEW DELHI (AP) — Matt Wallace birdied the first playoff hole against fellow Englishman Andrew "Beef" Johnston to win the Indian Open on Sunday.

 

Wallace went for the green in two on the playoff hole, the 18th, needing only 20 feet for an eagle. Johnston laid up and had a longer putt for birdie, which he missed, and Wallace won when he tapped in from a foot.

 

 

"Since being 3-over through 8 in my first round, I've played some off my best golf," Wallace said.

 

Johnston shot a final-round 66, Wallace a 68. They finished with 11-under totals of 277 at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

 

Sihwan Kim of the U.S. finished third after a 68, three strokes behind.

 

Hometown favorite Shubhankar Sharma faded on the back nine with a 75 to finish seven shots behind.

 

Sharma and Wallace shared the lead after the third round. But Sharma bogeyed two of three holes on the back nine, including a double-bogey 7 after an out-of-bounds tee shot on the 15th, to end his chances of winning his third European Tour event of the season.

 

Sharma already had a victory of sorts this week: He received a special invitation to play in the Masters at Augusta.

 

MORE: Shubhankar Sharma's unique journey from India to WGC Mexico Championship

 

The 21-year-old Sharma held the 54-hole lead in his first World Golf Championship appearance last week, in Mexico. He finished tied for ninth after a closing 74. He was ranked No. 462 in the world three months ago when he shot 61 in the second round and won the Joburg Open.

 

He closed with a 62 last month to win the Malaysian Open, making him the only two-time winner on the European Tour this season.

 

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