Ben Campbell outlasts Cameron Smith to win Hong Kong Open

New Zealand’s Ben Campbell clinched a thrilling victory at the Hong Kong Open, sinking a remarkable 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to secure a one-shot win over former Open champion Cameron Smith. The dramatic finish at Fanling marked a historic moment for Campbell, as he became the first player to claim this title since the tournament’s return from a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His impressive final round score of four-under 66 propelled him to a total of 19-under, allowing him to edge out Smith and join the ranks of past winners like major champions Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Greg Norman.

“I was battling away all day,” Campbell reflected on his victory. “I didn’t get off to the best of starts and the swing wasn’t feeling that great.”

Meanwhile, overnight leader Phachara Khongwatmai experienced a late slump on Sunday, carding a 69 and dropping into a third-place tie with Canada’s Richard T. Lee at 17-under. The tension peaked as Campbell, Smith, and Phachara were deadlocked in a three-way tie heading into the 18th hole. In an electrifying moment, Campbell emerged victorious with his first career Asian Tour win, after both Smith and Phachara missed crucial birdie putts.

“It’s good to finally get the monkey off the back,” confessed Campbell, encapsulating the significance of his triumph.

Despite his disappointment with his overall performance, Smith, the 2022 Open Championship winner, expressed a positive outlook after finishing at 18-under for the tournament. “Pretty poor over the weekend I guess, but I hung in there, so lots of positives,” he said. “Definitely wasn’t the nicest golf to be played over last couple of days — still lots to work on.”

Reuters contributed to this report.