England's Steve Lewton ended a 10-year wait for a second Asian Tour victory by winning the Indonesia Open on Sunday in a tense sudden-death playoff.
Lewton's birdie on the second extra hole was enough to beat third-round leader Aaron Wilkin from Australia and China's Sampson Zheng after the trio had all finished on 16-under par 268 at Damai Indah Golf Club in Jakarta.
Steve Lewton wins the 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗶 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻! 🏆https://t.co/QQChqRrghk #MIO2024 #TimeToRise pic.twitter.com/juQSI0ZCpJ
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) September 1, 2024
It was a relief for the 41-year-old Lewton who had thrown away the lead with an ugly double-bogey six on the 18th in regulation for a round of three-under 68, after birdies at 16 and 17 had taken him two strokes clear.
Asian Tour rookie Zheng also had a 68 while Wilkin, who recorded a course-record 61 on Thursday, carded a two-under 69.
After 10 long years, Steve Lewton Is a winner again on the Asian Tour 🥹🏆#MIO2024 #TimeToRise pic.twitter.com/cdkZZwlplF
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) September 1, 2024
"It's just been a long, long time, and I feel like in the last three years, I've been playing quite good," said Lewton, who had been runner-up at the Indonesia Open for the past two years.
"It's just nice to get over the line and win a tournament again, because it's been a long time since I had that feeling."
His previous win came at the Taiwan Masters in 2014, two years after he made his Asian Tour debut.
"I birdied 16 and 17 and then I had a mini-disaster on 18," admitted Lewton, who found water off the tee.
"I was just very happy to get it done the second time of asking in the play-off. I am very happy not to finish second again."
Australia's Travis Smyth (67) and China's Liu Yanwei (68) tied for fourth a stroke behind.
Leading final scores after the fourth round of the Indonesia Open at the Damai Indah Golf - PIK Course (par 71):
268 - *Steve Lewton (ENG) 67-67-66-68, Sampson Zheng (CHN) 65-63-72-68, Aaron Wilkin (AUS) 61-71-67-69
*Lewton won on the second playoff hole.
269 - Travis Smyth (AUS) 73-65-64-67, Liu Yanwei (CHN) 68-66-67-68
272 - Austen Truslow (USA) 68-73-68-63, Sarit Suwannarut (THA) 68-66-71-67, Ian Snyman (RSA) 70-68-67-67, Poosit Supupramai (THA) 66-69-69-68, Saptak Talwar (IND) 69-67-68-68, Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA) 65-72-67-68, Ervin Chang (MAS) 68-66-66-72
273 - Taichi Kho (HKG) 68-72-68-65, Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 69-72-67-65, Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 71-70-66-66