Haru Nomura captures Women’s Australian Open for first LPGA title

Honolulu-based Haru Nomura of Japan won her first LPGA tournament in her 72nd start, shooting a closing seven-under-par 65 on Sunday to win the Women’s Australian Open in Adelaide by three strokes.

Nomura, who was tied for the lead with two others going into the final round at The Grange’s West course, finished with a 16-under total of 272.

Top-ranked and defending champion Lydia Ko, who trailed by a stroke after three rounds, finished second after a 67.

Five-time champion Karrie Webb shot 71 to finish third, seven strokes behind Nomura. American Danielle Kang was tied for fourth after a 73, eight strokes behind.

Webb, who trailed by a stroke at the start of the final round, had three birdies in her first five holes to take a share of the lead, but those were her last under-par holes of the round.

Nomura, whose previous best finishes were three top 10s, had birdies on 15, 16 and 17 and five overall on the back nine before a bogey on 18.

Born in Japan to a South Korean mother and Japanese father, Nomura said she wasn’t intimidated by Ko being so close late in the round.

“Golf is the fight of my own, it’s not against someone else,” she said. “Even though someone else plays well, if I hit my goals, then I win.”

Starting as third-round leader with Kang and South Korean Jenny Shin, Nomura had four birdies in six holes on the front nine. When Ko challenged on the back nine with three birdies in five holes to leave the New Zealander just one shot behind, Nomura responded with her three consecutive birdies.

Shin closed with a 74 to finish nine strokes behind.

Fraser wins inaugural Maybank title

Marcus Fraser made a curling 18-foot putt for par on the final hole for a 3-under 68 and a two-stroke victory in the inaugural Maybank Championship Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.

The 37-year-old Australian finished at 15-under 269 at Royal Selangor for his third European Tour title. South Korea’s Lee Soo-min (73) and the Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena (68) tied for second.

The event also was sanctioned by the Asian Tour.