KEY POINTS:
New Zealand golfer Mark Brown finished fourth at the Asian Masters golf tournament in Bangkok.
Brown, third going into the final round, shot an even par 72 at the Thai Country Club for a four-round total of 10-under 278 to finish in a tie with Scotland's Simon Yates.
Fellow New Zealander Stephen Scahill started the day in 26th place but a three-over 75 left him on a plus three 291 and in a tie for 35th.
The tournament was won by Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng, whose 69 gave him a 13-under total of 275, with Filipino Juvic Pagunsan second one stroke back after he let slip a four-shot advantage midway through the final round.
Pagunsan birdied twice on the back nine to claw his way back to take the enthralling contest down to the final hole, which Prayad birdied - the only player to do so this week - to edge ahead.
Needing to make par for a playoff and with the Thai crowd willing him to fail, the Filipino found the bunker and missed a 10-foot putt to finish on 12-under for the tournament, tied with Britain's Chris Rogers.
"I could feel he (Pagunsan) wasn't confident when he stepped up to putt on the 18th," Prayad told a news conference.
"He should have taken a left line but it went to the right. I didn't think I had a great chance of winning but I got better and better as played."
Prayad, whose victory was his first of the season and sixth of his career, added: "I knew I had to birdie the first few holes and Pagunsan just went down and down."
Pagunsan had a poor outward nine, bogeying four times to relinquish his lead and gift Prayad a decent shot at a title few thought he would win.
Pagunsan, who bogeyed the 18th on three of the four days, was frustrated by his final-round implosion and admitted the contest was his to lose.
"It was disappointing to lose like that," Pagunsan told reporters.
"I bogeyed the last hole again and it was costly. I hit an eight iron from 170 yards and didn't connect properly and it went in the bunker. I didn't hit enough good shots today."
Briton Simon Yates was momentarily in contention but lost his chance when he double-bogeyed the 17th.
Rogers, who had the highest score of the day on 68 after birdieing five times, said he thought he had a great chance of winning - until he found the bunker on the 18th.
"All day long I thought it was going to be my day," he said.
"I gave it everything but I lost my focus a bit. I guess that's what being in contention does to you sometimes."
China's Liang Wenchong carded an even-par 72 to finish one-over-par for the tournament although it was still enough to clinch the Asian Tour order of merit title, making him the first Chinese to do so.
- NZPA, REUTERS
