Zander Lombard sliced through the field on Sunday in the DP World Tour’s Ras Al Kaimah Classic at Al Hamra Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates with a seven-under-par 65 taking him into a share of third place.
Lombard led the South African charge in the final round, picking up three birdies on the front nine, and then reeling off four in a row after the turn from the 11th to the 14th. He dropped a shot on the 16th, but picked up that lost shot with a closing birdie on the 18th.
As expected, it was always going to be next to impossible to catch Kiwi Ryan Fox, who duly came home with a three-under-par 69, enough to take him to 22-under-par for the tournament and a five-stroke margin over Ross Fisher. Sharing third with Lombard were Hurly Long of Germany and Pablo Larrazabal of Spain.
Justin Harding, George Coetzee and Oliver Bekker were amongst 11 players who shared ninth place on 14-under. Harding signed for a 66, Coetzee carded a 69, and Oliver Bekker went five-under for a closing 67 after setting a new course record of 61 in the second round.
Daniel van Tonder, Brandon Stone and Joburg Open Champion Thriston Lawrence were in a share of 20th on 13-under, and Shaun Norris and Justin Walters finished in 42nd on nine-under. Richard Sterne closed with a level-par 72 for a share of 69th.
Lombard’s finish vaulted him inside the top 20 in the latest DP World Tour ranking as he climbed 11 places to 17th.
