Belgium hangs on for 3-stroke win at World Cup of Golf

MELBOURNE, Australia — Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry of Belgium had a few anxious moments on the back nine but held on to shoot a 4-under 68 and claim a three-stroke win Sunday at the ISPS Handa Melbourne World Cup, despite a determined late run by Australia and Mexico. Pieters and Detry took a five-stroke lead into the final round of foursomes (alternate shot) at Metropolitan and the lead was reduced by one when Detry missed a nervy three-footer on the par-3 second. But they had an eagle and two birdies on the rest of the front nine and made the turn with their five-stroke advantage intact. Australia’s Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith pulled to within two strokes, thanks to holing out from the bunker for a birdie by Smith and a 12-foot par save on the next hole by Leishman. If there was any doubt, Pieters’ approach to four feet on the 18th set up a final birdie by Detry to give the Belgians a 23-under total of 265 in mostly sunny conditions after some early-morning drizzle. “We were both nervous at times, but to finish with a birdie was special,” Pieters said. Leishman and Smith shot 65. Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, who won last week’s Australian Open, and his partner Roberto Diaz, playing in the last group with Belgium, shot 66 and finished tied with the Australians for second. Defending champions Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark shot a 65 to finish tied for fourth with Canada’s Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, who shot 66. They were six strokes behind. Americans Matt Kuchar and Kyle Stanley shot a final-round 68 and finished at 9-under, 14 strokes behind the winners and tied for 16th among the 28 teams.

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