Danny Willett’s wait for a win goes on as Masters champion lets three-shot lead slip in Malaysia
England’s Danny Willett missed the chance to claim his first title since last year’s Masters as he suffered a final-day collapse at the Maybank Championship in Malaysia on Sunday.
Willett led by three going into the last round but carded a 73 that left him tied for fifth place on 15 under par, four shots behind winner Fabrizio Zanotti.
Paraguayan Zanotti conjured an eagle at the last hole to cap a bogey-free 63 and set a clubhouse lead that American David Lipsky fell short of by one stroke.
Read more: Tiger adds to fears over his future with pain admission
Austrian Bernd Wiesberger was third in Kuala Lumpur, with Frenchman Alexander Levy fourth and China’s Li Haotong in a share of fifth with Willett.
Willett, 29, has endured a mixed spell since his breakthrough triumph at Augusta 10 months ago.
The Yorkshireman has achieved just three top-10 finishes in 20 events since the Masters and missed five cuts.
Zanotti started the day six shots behind Willett and only took the lead for the first time after he birdied the 17th.
He followed that with a superb approach to the par-five 18th and a 10-foot putt for an eagle.
Lipsky led for much of the back nine and was three clear of Zanotti with four to play but was left needing to pick up two shots over the last two holes just to force a play-off.
“I think it was probably the best round of my career,” said Zanotti.
“I missed the last three cuts but I was hitting the ball well and was not unhappy with the way I was hitting it. This week I just came here and tried to take it easy.”