Golf briefs: Appleby rallies Down Under

Stuart Appleby ended a nine-year drought at home by winning the Australian Masters on Sunday in Melbourne, rallying from a seven-shot deficit with birdies on his last two holes for a 6-under 65.

Appleby was as golden as the winner’s jacket with his putter down the stretch. He knocked in a 30-foot par putt on the 16th hole to stay in the mix, took the lead with a 25-footer for birdie on the 17th and closed with a two-putt birdie to reach 10 uner and win by a stroke.

Adam Bland, who began the final round with a three-shot lead, missed a 10-foot eagle putt on the last hole that would have forced a playoff. He closed with a 73.

Daniel Gaunt shot 71 and was alone in third.

Defending champion Tiger Woods completed an entire year without a victory. He finished alone in fourth, matching his highest finish of a forgettable season.

Appleby last won on native soil in the 2001 Australian Open.

PGA Tour

Robert Garrigus shot an 8-under 64 to win the Children’s Miracle Network Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., allowing him to keep his PGA Tour card. He finished three shots clear of Roland Thatcher for his first tour victory.

Garrigus began the week 122nd in earnings and needed a solid finish to stay inside the top 125 – the cutoff for full PGA Tour status. Thatcher shot a final-round 72 and jumped from 179th to 122nd to keep his playing privileges, blowing a four-stroke lead but keeping his job.

South Korea’s In-Kyung Kim won the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico, for her third LPGA Tour title, closing with an 8-under 64 for a three-stroke stroke victory over Suzann Pettersen.

Kim matched the tournament record set by Cristie Kerr in the first round with her 64 and finished at 19 under.

Pettersen shot a 68. The Norwegian star has 11 top-five finishes in 18 starts this season.

Ochoa, playing her first LPGA Tour event since retiring in April, finished 19 strokes back in a tie for 25th.

Asian Tour

Australia’s Adam Scott had a three-stroke lead with 10 holes left when play in the Singapore Open was suspended because of darkness, forcing the final round to be played today.

The final round was delayed 51/2 hours by thunderstorms.

Scott was 17 under. Defending champion Ian Poulter was second, also with 10 holes left. Masters champion Phil Mickelson was 4 under with five holes to go.