New Zealand No 1 Greg Turner may have just done enough - with a third equal placing in Melbourne yesterday - to join the world's top 64 golfers in the new $US5 million matchplay event in Carlsbad, California, in two weeks.
Turner, ranked 68th in the world before the tournament, wasthird equal in the Australian Masters at the Huntingdale Course and he reckoned he needed a top five finish to move up four spots into the top 64.
That is the cut-off mark for the World Golf Championship's Andersen Consulting Matchplay, with the winner taking away a cool $US1 million.
Turner entered the Huntingdale back nine joint leader at 14 under in an action-packed final round.
He dropped one shot coming home, finishing with rounds of 69, 70, 70, 70 for 279 to be tied with Australian Craig Parry and amateur star Kim Felton.
The overnight leader Craig Spence hung on to collect his first professional win on his home course with a brillant 16 under total of 276 (64, 73, 69, 70).
A six-iron to within 1m of the pin and a birdie three at the 18th by Spence sank Greg Norman's chances to win a seventh Masters title.
Norman, who finished with a 4-under 69 and was 16-under for the last three rounds, was one shot shy on 277.
Spence, who won $NZ171,245, had dreamed about winning the Masters in precisely the manner he did.
"When I'm driving down the road just day-dreaming I dream of chipping in or hitting a shot close to win the Masters," he said.
Norman also drew level at 14-under at the ninth hole, Spence moved ahead at the 10th, and Norman closed again at the 11th.
From the time Norman birdied the par-three 15th the pair were locked in a dead heat until Spence turned up the heat with his remarkable approach shot at the last.
