Golf: Final slump puts paid to Brown's late revival

New Zealand golfer Mark Brown experienced the whole gamut of emotions before his title bid was extinguished at the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea yesterday.

He led the US$2.9 million ($5.24 million) Asian and European co-sanctioned event on the island of Jeju after a first round of seven-under-par 65 only to lose his way during a wind-tossed third round of 78. But he improved in the last round yesterday before a late slump left him with a 74 and a tournament card of two-over 290.

Brown was 19th equal, six shots shy of the winner, Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, at the Pinx Golf Club.

Jaidee won after surviving a three-way playoff with Korean Sung-Hoon Kang and Spaniard Gonzalo Fdez-Castano after they completed the regulation 72 holes in four-under 284.

Brown, the 2008 Johnnie Walker Classic champion, did not have his A game at hand yesterday, mixing three birdies with five bogeys, with three of the shelled strokes on the last six holes.

It was still good enough to earn him 24,486 ($58,425). He also banked 52,000 for finishing in a tie for third at the China Open in Beijing last Sunday.

Brown, 34 and ranked 131st in the world, now has a two-week break before preparing for the Irish Open starting on May 14.

- NZPA