Queenstown golfer Ben Campbell has won another $US2 million ($NZ3.25m) tournament on the Asian Tour.
He had to do it the hard way, too, hunting down American playing partner John Catlin from three shots back with two holes to play, and winning with a long birdie putt on the par-5 18th to win a sudden-death playoff at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course.
Campbell shot a 2-under-par 71 in the final round, helped by an eagle on the par-4 17th and a birdie on 18 in normal time, to tie Catlin, in with a 72, on 15-under.
American Caleb Surratt (71) and Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra (73) tied for third, three behind the top two.
Campbell started the final day one behind Catlin — the leader after each of the first three days and chasing win No3 of the season — and looked to be just falling short.
He had made two great up-and-downs for par on 15 and 16 before holing a 35-foot putt for eagle on the penultimate hole.
On the par-five 18th, they both faced 10-foot birdie putts. Campbell holed his first before his American opponent, normally so clinical, just missed his attempt.
"That was a great finish", Campbell said.
"I didn’t have my best out there today and I just kept saying to Mike (caddie Mike Howell), I’ve just got to find something and just stay patient.
"I went flag-hunting on 16 and leaked it right, and hit a great bunker shot there. I said to Mike, if I can find eagle-birdie, you never know.
"So I did that, and then to hole a putt like that in the playoff, it’s always good."
It was Campbell’s second victory on the Asian Tour, having won the Hong Kong Open at the end of last year after a similarly last-gasp finish when he nailed a 15-foot birdie to win by one.
The win is another reward for a player dogged by injury through his career.
"I just think it’s been a tough run, and I didn’t give up then and I’m not going to give up now.
"I just kept saying to Mike, don’t give up out here. I’ve got to find something in my swing.
"I was feeling great on the range and lost it, sort of, on the course. But, I just said to him and kept saying to myself, don’t give up."
Catlin had one hand on the trophy with three to go and was a safe bet to claim the seventh Asian Tour title of his career and second wire-to-wire of the season.
Holding a one-shot lead at the start of the day, he surprisingly bogeyed his first two holes, but bounced back to lead by one at the turn before a birdie on 15 left him with that three-stroke cushion.
Two closing pars were not good enough to hold off the charging Kiwi.
Campbell, who has headed to Spain to reserve for a LIV event this week, is now second on the International Series rankings and third on the Asian Tour money list.
The Asian Tour takes a short break before heading to the International Series England at Foxhills Country Club & Resort in Surrey from August 8-11.
