KEY POINTS:
Australian Peter Lonard yesterday won his country's PGA title for the third time since 2002 with a three-stroke victory over New Zealand's David Smail.
Lonard shot a superb seven-under-par 65 at the Hyatt Coolum course on Queensland's Sunshine Coast to finish on 20-under-par 268.
Smail, who shot a final round 68, finished on 271 with Australians Greg Chalmers, Scott Laycock and Michael Sim tied for third a further two shots back.
The 40-year-old Lonard, who started one shot behind third-round leader Rory Sabbatini, birdied four of his first five holes to storm into the lead.
Smail, who finished 17-under, rewarded for his consistency in picking up a A$142,800 cheque just weeks after a third place finish in the season-ending tournament on the Japan Tour elevated him to the status of New Zealand's highest ranked golfer at 148th in the world.
Smail has now risen to the top of the PGA Tour of Australasia order of merit with A$163,185 in earnings after four events.
He leads by just over A$22,000 from American Scott Sterling with Paul Sheehan in third place and Adam Bland in fourth.
Lonard who was partnered with Smail for the final round took A$252,000.
Smail, the 2001 New Zealand Open champion, started the day one shot off the lead at 13-under and was solid through the day.
He fired a fourth consecutive round in the 60s, which included birdies on the 5th, 7th, 8th 13th and 15th holes and just one bogey on the Coolum Hyatt Regency course.
World No 6 Adam Scott finished six shots behind Lonard, a four-under 68 leaving him in a tie for sixth. South African overnight leader Rory Sabbatini dropped away to finish eight shots behind Lonard in a tie for 10th which included another New Zealander, Michael Long.
Long started the day in a tie for 16th, six shots off the lead but was blemish free as he shot a 68 that included three birdies to climb up the leaderboard.
Fellow Kiwis Mahal Pearce finished with four-over 76 which left him in a tie for 60th on an even par 288 and Josh Carmichael shot a 75 to finish in a tie for 67th on 290.
Sabbatini who kept pace with Lonard until the turn, fell away on the back nine, recording five bogeys and was unable to break par on the other four holes of the run home to shoot a two-over 74 and drop to a tie for 10th on 12-under 276. Last year's champion Nick O'Hern, shot an even-par 72 to finish tied for 20th on nine under.
- AGENCIES
