Kiwis around the world

Von Nida Tour: Flint Claims NSW PGA Title

Queenslander Gavin Flint has won his first title on the Australasian Tour by claiming the Bega Cheese NSW PGA Championship at Pambula-Merimbula GC and Tura Beach Golf Club on the NSW South Coast. Flint shot a final round 68 to finish the tournament at 21 under, one shot ahead of South Australian Andrew Johnson and Tasmania's Robin Hodgetts.

A former Queensland School boy champion, he has a string of junior awards and was the 2004 NZ Amateur Champion, 2004 NSW Amateur Champion, won the 2004 Northern Territory Open, was the 2003 Qld Amateur Champion and the 2003 Victorian Amateur Champion.

Two New Zealanders made the cut, with Martin Pettigrew ending tied for 34th, with Carl Brooking 54th.

European/Asian Tour: Qatar Masters

Ernie Els

World number 3 Ernie Els overcame a five stroke deficit overnight, shooting a sensational final round seven under par 65, to win the eighth Qatar Masters at the Doha Golf Club.

Els sank seven birdies for a winning total of 12-under-par 276, to overhaul overnight leader Henrik Stenson of Sweden and win the event that was jointly sanctioned for the first time by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

The win is the second successive victory for Els after his triumph at the Dubai Desert Classic last Sunday.

Australian Richard Green finished tied for third with Pierre Fulke of Sweden on nine-under.

None of the four kiwis in the field made the cut. Stephen Scahill followed an opening round 68, with 78 to miss the cut by one shot, along with Michael Campbell, who shot rounds of 74 and 72. Eddie Lee and Richard Lee missed by a number of shots, shooting 76, 76 and 77, 81 respectively.

US PGA TOUR: Honda Classic

Padrig Harrington

Irishman Padraig Harrington has won his first US PGA TOUR title, overcoming world number one Vijay Singh and American Joe Ogilvie in a playoff to claim the Honda Classic at Palm Beach in Florida.

Finishing on 14 under, the trio went into the playoff that saw Ogilvie as the first casualty, bogeying the first play off hole. Singh had a two foot putt for par on the second play off hole, but it lipped out giving Harrington his best ever finish on the US PGA Tour.

The news wasn't so good for overnight leaders Geoff Ogilvy and Brett Wetterich. Ogilvy doubled bogeyed the final hole to put himself out of contention, joining Wetterich at 6th equal.

The lone kiwi in the field was Craig Perks, who missed the cut after rounds of 79 and 73.