GOLF/Johnnie Walker Classic: Adam Scott admitted his "mind left" him for a while before winning his fifth European Tour title in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Beijing yesterday.
Scott almost squandered a five-shot lead in the final round at Pine Valley before carding a closing 72 to secure the €305,000 first prize.
The 24-year-old Australian's 18-under-par total gave him a three-shot victory over double US Open champion Retief Goosen, with the South African recording a 70.
Sweden's Henrik Stenson, New Zealand's Michael Campbell and South Africa's Richard Sterne shared third on 13 under. Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els and Brett Rumford were a shot further back after closing rounds of 69.
Scott led from start to finish after an opening, course-record 63, but what had looked a routine victory proved anything but on a final day affected by gusting winds.
After 10 holes his lead had been reduced to just one shot, and the world number 10 conceded: "I must admit I was a little concerned after the 10th. I only had 50 yards to the hole and didn't get it to the green and my mind left me there for a while. My caddie geed me up on the 11th and told me to show them my best swing, and on the 12th I hit a beautiful two-iron which set me up with a good chance to win the tournament.
"It was tough today in the wind, but I did what I needed to do. I hung in there and I'm proud of myself for that."
After completing his delayed third round yesterday morning with a double-bogey six, Scott also bogeyed the third hole of the final round and saw his lead slashed to two after an early brace of birdies from Goosen.
A birdie at the fifth and a Goosen bogey on the next briefly increased his lead to four, but further dropped shots at the seventh and ninth had Scott looking nervous.
His lead was then cut to just one when he bogeyed the 10th, but he recovered his composure to play a superb approach to within four feet of the pin on the treacherous 12th for birdie.
A two-putt birdie on the par-five 13th followed, and with Goosen failing to follow suit, Scott could breathe easily again.
Most of Scott's tour victories have come when he led from the front. He added: "I like playing with a lead. I feel like I can run away with it and it looked that way here until I double-bogeyed the 18th in the third round.
"I'm sure one day I will lose one, but at the moment I feel very comfortable, and even though the lead got back to one I was still in front. The pressure is on the other guys to catch me up."
Goosen certainly thought he had the chance to do just that, but the world number five was left to rue a number of missed opportunities on the back nine.
"I suppose I have to be happy," Goosen added. "It's better than third, but I would like to have putted better this week, especially today. The chances were there to catch him but I didn't take them."
Peter Lawrie had an erratic final day in the wind, collecting four birdies but also five bogeys and a double-bogey to close with a 75 to finish on four under par. Tied 38th was worth €10,982.
