Hong Kong Open: Aaron Rai wins first European Tour title

Aaron Rai is a threefold winner of the Challenge Tour Hong Kong Open third-leader leaderboard-17 Rai (Eng); -16 Fitzpatrick (Eng); -11 Scrivener (Aus), Perez (Fra); -10 Drysdale (Sco); -9 Cabrera Bello (Spa), Sharma (Ind), Garcia (Spa) Other selected: -7 Fleetwood; -2 Reed (US) Full leaderboard (external)

Aaron Rai retired his colleague Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick to win his first European Tour title with one shot in the season opening of Hong Kong Open.

Fitzpatrick, 24, chopped Rai's six-shot night led to one, but bogeyed the 17th, causing the 23-year-old to win at 17 under with a bogey at the last .

"It is incredible to win on a Tour, leave only The European Tour", said triple winner Challenge Tour Rai.

"Matt played incredibly well, but I was just trying to play the track."

Fitzpatrick birdiede his first two holes to close within four and was three drifting after nine holes. Four other birdies in his next six holes narrowed the opening to one, but he missed a four-foot par-put on the penultimate hole to return the advantage to Rai.

"It was disappointing on the 17th, like simple bogey," said Fitzpatrick, who finished with a six-under-64. "But I did well."

Tommy Fleetwood from England, which started second on Fitzpatrick in the final round, dropped by three more than 73, ahead of Scotland's David Drysdale, who scored a sixth to finish fifth.

Sergio Garcia shot a level-par 70 and finished sixth with Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello and Shubhankar Sharma from India on nine par.