World No. 5 Jordan Spieth showed major-winning class when it mattered by draining a 12-foot birdie putt to claim the Australian Open title for the second time after a three-way sudden death playoff Sunday. The American, who also lifted the Stonehaven Cup in 2014, shot a final three-under 69 to join Australian clubhouse leaders Ashley Hall and Cameron Smith, who both shot final round 66s, on 12-under-par for the tournament. Replaying the par-four 18th hole in front of a packed gallery at Royal Sydney, Hall landed his approach shot closest but slid his birdie putt wide of the hole, while Smith gave himself too much to do with a second shot to 35 feet from the pin. Hall and Smith will be rewarded for their second place with spots at next year's British Open along with Aaron Baddeley, who finished in a tie for fourth with four other players after a final-round 71. Also in that group on 10-under was former US Open champion and overnight leader Geoff Ogilvy, who held a three-shot lead at the eighth hole before a calamitous double bogey at the 16th ended his bid for a second title at his home open. Former world No. 1 Adam Scott was also looking for a second title but, after starting the day four shots off the pace, double-bogeyed the 11th then dropped another shot at the 12th to finish with a 73 and a share of 14th on six-under. Hughes overcomes triple-bogey to lead by one in Georgia Canadian rookie Mackenzie Hughes overcame a back nine triple-bogey with a trio of birdies for a 68 on Saturday that gave him a one-stroke lead heading to the final round of the RSM Classic in St Simons Island, Georgia. Hughes recovered with birdies on the 13th, 15th and 16th holes to reach 16-under at the par-70 Seaside Course and push past fellow rookie Pan Cheng-Tsung of Taiwan (67) and veterans Camilo Villegas (64) and Billy Horschel (65). The 25-year-old Canadian, who has led since his opening round 61, was three ahead of the field when he floundered in a fairway bunker on the par-four 11th. Hughes, facing a nasty lie, failed to get out of the sand and came out weakly with his next shot. His approach left him some 60 feet from the cup and he three-putted for seven. Pan temporarily assumed the lead with a pair of birdies as Hughes triple-bogeyed, but dropped a shot with a bogey at 13 after a poor tee shot. Villegas made a rousing finish on a breezy day with four birdies in a row for 64, finding himself in a four-way tie for the lead before Hughes' birdie at 16. Horschel shot a bogey-free 65 and celebrated his round and a football win by the Gators with a leap of joy on the 18th green. — Agencies
