Lahiri finishes tied 12th at Fiji International

Anirban Lahiri concluded the week with a strong finish with three birdies in last five holes and placed tied 12th at the end of the inaugural US$1 million Fiji International.
Lahiri, who faced a long and tiring journey from the US before the start of the Fiji International followed up his first round 74 with rounds of 69, 75 and 73 to finish at three-over 291.
Lahiri started with a string of four pars before crashing to a double bogey on par-5 fifth but though he partially made up with a birdie on sixth.
Bogeys on 11th and 12th indicated a slide back, but he recovered well with birdies on 13th, 15th and 17th, with a bogey in between on 16th.

Steve Jeffress from Australia overcame countryman Jake Higginbottom in an absorbing final day head-to-head battle to win the inaugural the title.
Jeffress, aged 38, recorded the biggest win of his 15-year professional career after shooting a two-under-par 70 at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course. He finished the tournament on 10 under, four ahead of Higginbottom, who closed with a 74.

Jeffress received a cheque for US$180,000, while Higginbottom also enjoyed the biggest pay day of his fledgling career earning US$102,000.
"I am over the moon and a bit surprised," said Jeffress, who most significant win previously came in the 2006 Victorian PGA. They had started the day sharing the lead but at the turn Higginbottom held a two shot advantage.

However, the wheels started to come off for the young Australian when he bogeyed the 10th and the 13th. The turning point proved to be the par-three 15th, where the two frontrunners, arrived tied on seven under for the tournament.
However, Higginbottom dumped a poor tee shot into a hazard well short of the green and although he was able to rescue a bogey with a remarkable chip in with his provisional from behind the green, Jeffress made birdie for a crucial two shot swing.
It was a lead he did not relinquish and which he embellished with a birdie on 18. Fiji's Vijay Singh, who designed the Natadola Bay course, finished off with a 73 to end in 10th place.