Cool Baddeley retains Australian Open title

Aaron Baddeley kept his cool to defend his Australian Open title in Melbourne as nearest rival and fellow home player Robert Allenby suffered a final day nightmare.  

Allenby, from Melbourne, had set a course record 64 on Saturday to lead overnight but the 29-year-old hit a succession of loose shots and missed putts to effectively hand victory to an opponent 10 years his junior.

Baddeley was last year the first amateur to win the Open since Bruce Devlin in 1960 and in only his second professional tournament showed he has the potential to become one of the game's top players.

Baddeley hit an even par 72 final round to finish 10 under par on 278, earning £150,000 in the process. His four rounds included just four bogeys.

Australians rounded out the top four, with Richard Green third on six under and Scott Laycock one shot further back.

Greg Norman's expected final day charge failed to materialise as he carded a disappointing two over par 74 to finish joint fifth, seven shots off the pace.

A double bogey start to the final round was a warning of things to come. Despite making up a shot on the second, Allenby's challenge fell away after a dropped shot on the 10th and a double bogey on the 11th ended his title tilt.

At the same time Baddeley picked up three birdies to go to the turn in 34. Despite his only two double bogeys of the tournament Baddeley was able to keep hold of the lead.

At the par four 16th Baddeley's approach shot hit the bunker on the right of the green. He chipped out but the ball rolled away down the hill. He left his putt five metres short and ended with a double bogey.

Allenby had a birdie opportunity at the same hole to close the gap to just one with two to play. But on a day he would rather forget Allenby missed and was not given another chance.

A composed Baddeley responded at the next with an eight metre birdie putt, pumping his fist in the first visible sign of emotion.

Allenby produced a bogey for a round of 75 and the contest was over. Baddeley's only other slip came on the 18th in front of a packed gallery where he three putted to drop two shots.