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SA's Norris claims 3rd victory on Japan Tour

Cape Town - A dramatic eagle on the final hole on Sunday saw Shaun Norris to a one-stroke victory in the PGM Championship on the Japan Golf Tour and his third title in as many years on that tour.

According to the Sunshine Tour website, he finished one stroke clear of Daisuke Kataoka - the Japanese who also has three wins on tour - to win the tournament in Okinawa. The event was shorted to 54 holes due to weather problems.

Norris, who recently became a father, had reluctantly left South Africa and his new son to play the tournament, and the decision paid off handsomely.

He was emotional after the win, bursting into tears after tossing his cap and sunglasses as the winning putt went in.

After opening rounds of 68 and 65, it was a slow but steady start to his final round as he carded 13 consecutive pars with Kataoka on a charge. But a birdie on 14 kept him within striking distance, and he got his approach on the 18th safely on the green to set up his eagle chance for the victory.

Paired with YE Yang for the final round, Norris had to wait for the 2009 PGA Championship winner to finish up before lining up his downhill putt, knowing that a birdie was good enough to get him into a play-off. He read the line perfectly, and his ball went in.

ALSO READ: Norris on Tiger: It's like playing with a mythical creature

The win gave him his third title in three years after his victories in the 2016 Myanmar Open and the Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup Shishido Hills in 2017.

It took him to second on the Japan Golf Tour Order of Merit, with nearly R12-million in prize money this season, and to his highest-ever position of 76th on the Official Golf World Ranking.

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