Kitayama Takes Oman Open With Late Surge

Kurt Kitayama kept his cool as everyone else on the leaderboard collapsed to win the Oman Open by one stroke on Sunday.

The American finished on a seven-under par total of 281, one stroke ahead of Spaniard Jorge Campillo, Frenchman Clement Sordet, German Maximilian Kieffer and Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti.

The top five entered the event with a total of just three European tour victories between them - one to Kitayama, who has never won on the US tour, two to Zanotti  - and the pressure told in the end.

"This one feels really good because when I won the first one I was playing really well and it just felt like it was coming," Kitayama told the European tour website.

"This week I came in off three missed cuts and not having good weekends in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It feels great to grind through all of that."

High winds and sand storms earlier in the tournament led to a marathon final day at the at Al Mouj course as Kitayama played 33 holes on Sunday.

In the three holes he had managed before low light stopped the third round on Saturday, the American had dropped six shots to fall seven strokes off the lead.

Over the last 13 holes of the third round on Sunday, he was seven under heading into the final round three strokes behind leader Zanotti.

"The way we started that third round, I was, like, 'can we stop right now?'," Kitayama said.

"It gave me a refresh and it was incredible coming back," he added.

Kitayama playing in one of the last groups, was still two shots back with three holes left.

Kieffer and Sordet had taken the lead after Zanotti, who had four birdies and three double bogeys in the round, dropped two shots on 16.

Then Sordet three-putted for a bogey on 18 to make Kieffer the sole leader. The  German responded by bogeying 17. Kitayama then made birdies at 16 and 17 to move into the lead at the end.

For all the latest business news from the UAE and Gulf countries, follow us on Twitter and Linkedin, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.

Subscribe to Arabian Business' newsletter to receive the latest breaking news and business stories in Dubai,the UAE and the GCC straight to your inbox.

RECENT NEWS

In Pictures: 2020 EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour A Success Both On And Off The Water

Oman Sail partnered with DB Schenker to move the eight boats, 31 sailors, and support equipment to five different locati... Read more

Liverpool's Premier League Title Celebrations On Ice After Virus Strikes

Jurgen Klopp's team needed Manchester City to lose to Burnley on Saturday to give them a chance to seal the deal at thei... Read more

Dubai's DP World To Sponsor Renault F1 Team

DP World will become the global logistics partner and title partner of the Renault F1 team Read more

NBA Suspends Season After Player Tests Positive For Covid-19

NBA said it will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic Read more

Lewis Hamilton Chases Records As Virus-hit F1 Season Roars Into Life

Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton has been the dominant force in recent times, winning five of the previous six titles Read more

Maximum Security Owners Cut Ties With Servis Over Drug Scandal

Owner Gary West said Maximum Security, winner of last month's Saudi Cup in Riyadh, the world's richest horse race, would... Read more