PGA of Australia member Rick Kulacz holed a stunning bunker shot for birdie to defeat Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wen-the in a play-off and win the Brunei Open on Sunday.
 
Kulacz, the 2001 world junior champion and winner of the 2006 New South Wales Open on the Von Nida Tour (as an amateur), produced one of the shots of the season to capture his maiden Asian Tour title at Empire Hotel and Country Club after tying Lu on 13-under-par 271.
 
The 23-year-old playing in his rookie season in Asia, held the overnight lead and overcame an early double bogey on his first hole en route to a one-under-par 70 in the final round but was caught by Lu, who closed out with a 67.
 
Thailand’s Somkiat Srisanga and American Anthony Kang, who both held the lead during an enthralling back nine duel, shared third place after a 68 and 67 respectively to finish one behind the winner.
 
In the first hole of a sudden-death shootout, Kulacz and Lu found the greenside bunker at the par four 18th hole and after Lu had splashed out to five feet, the Perth-based Kulacz produced the unlikeliest of winning shots.
 
“My uncle Terry died earlier this year and he’s always told me to believe in myself. I want to dedicate this to him and I felt that he was with me during the play-off,” said Kulacz, who earned US$47,550.
 
“It feels pretty good. I couldn’t get too far ahead of myself. I was saying in the morning that if nothing goes well early in the day, you can’t give up. I just hung in there and started to feel more confident coming down the stretch which was surprising.”
 
Kulacz missed a 15-foot birdie attempt on the 18th hole in regulation play to seal a victory but made up for it with the bunker shot, which landed a few feet from the pin before trickling into the hole.
 
“I’ve been hitting into bunkers all week and I finally found one that was sitting up perfectly. It was the easiest shot. I just had to splash it out and hope for the best. I’ve never been that excited.
 
“This win takes the pressure off as I can pick and choose my events. It’s a huge weight off my career as I was well down the Order of Merit,” said Kulacz, who will earn a two-year exemption on the Asian Tour and a start at the Australasian Tour co-sanctioned HSBC Champions in Shanghai in November.
 
The 45-year-old Lu, chasing his fifth Asian Tour victory, produced a great with his six-birdie round but couldn’t do much at the end.
 
“I hit a good bunker shot in the play-off but didn’t have the luck. Rick had the luck with him,” said Lu.
 
“I felt I had a chance to win on the back nine after I made birdies on the 15th and 17th holes and I was playing well coming in. The winds were quite swirly today and my approach in the play-off just carried into the bunker.”
 
Inaugural Brunei Open champion Australian Terry Pilkadaris, compatriot Andrew Dodt and Thai star Thaworn Wiratchant shared fifth place on 273.
 
Leading final scores
271 - Rick Kulacz (AUS) 68-66-67-70, Lu Wen-Teh (TPE) 70-65-69-67
(Kulacz wins in the first hole of sudden-death play-off)
272 - Anthony Kang (USA) 68-68-69-67, Somkiat Srisanga (THA) 64-70-70-68
273 - Terry Pilkadaris (AUS) 65-67-74-67, Andrew Dodt (AUS) 66-72-66-69, Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 67-69-66-71
274 - Iain Steel (MAS) 69-70-67-68
275 - Jason King (AUS) 69-69-72-65, Chinnarat Phadungsil (THA) 70-69-69-67, Simon Dunn (SCO) 70-69-69-67, David Gleeson (AUS) 69-70-67-69, Scott Hend (AUS) 69-65-71-70, Mitchell Brown (AUS) 69-70-66-70, Ted Oh (KOR) 65-66-71-73
276 - Marcus Both (AUS) 68-68-71-69, Atthaphon Prathummanee (THA) 69-69-69-69, Wang Ter-chang (TPE) 69-68-69-70, Adam Blyth (AUS) 67-74-65-70, Darren Beck (AUS) 69-70-67-70, Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 72-69-65-70, Chang Tse-peng (TPE) 69-67-69-71

from pgatour.com.au