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Wiesberger
Toasts Maiden Victory with Rare
Ballantine’s 2012 Championship Blend.
Austrian, Bernd Wiesberger sealed a
dominant maiden European Tour victory in
style at the Ballantine’s Championship
yesterday, holing a 20 foot birdie on
the final hole to finish five shots
clear of Richie Ramsay at the Blackstone
Golf Club in Icheon, Korea.
Wiesberger left Korea with the
Ballantine’s Championship trophy, a
winner’s cheque for €367,500 (about
US$487,000) and a rare bottle of
Ballantine’s 2012 Championship Blend,
co-created by 2011 champion Lee Westwood
and Ballantine’s Master Blender Sandy
Hyslop. Wiesberger received the first of
only 10 bottles produced, none of which
will be sold.
"I'm going to bring back a couple of
bottles of Ballantine's so they will be
opened, I'm sure," said a delighted
Wiesberger. "I’d be lying if I say I'm
not going to have a nice celebration
when I get home."
The Austrian closed with a nerveless
round of 68 to consolidate his overnight
advantage and never looked like
relinquishing his stranglehold,
producing a faultless display of front
running.
"Every sportsman dreams about winning,
especially a tournament that was so well
organised and has such great players in
the field,” he said. “To play the way I
did this week is very special."
The 26-year-old had already stocked up
on Ballantine’s earlier in the week
after receiving two bottles of
Ballantine’s 21 Year Old for shooting
the lowest rounds on days two and three
– two successive bogey-free 65s.
That seven-under-par score was equalled
by Paul McGinley and Kiradech
Aphibarnrat in the third round and by
Adam Scott and Richie Ramsay in the
fourth – but it was never bettered.
That meant that Wiesberger – along with
McGinley, Scott, Kiradech and Ramsay –
also received a bottle of Ballantine’s
30 Year Old as his share of the prize
for setting the course record at
Blackstone Golf Club.
"I think to win a tournament, you need
to have your ‘A Game’ and especially at
a tournament here, the Ballantine's,
where such a great field was present."
Ballantine’s Championship 2012 took
place from 26th – 29th April 2012 at the
Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, Korea.
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