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Kruger picks up first tournament win

NEW DELHI, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Jbe Kruger collected his first European Tour victory by shooting 3-under-par 69 Sunday and winning the Avantha Masters in India.

Kruger, 25, had four birdies and built enough of a lead to survive a late bogey in the final round. He was 14-under 274 for 72 holes, two better than Jorge Campillo and Marcel Siem.

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Campillo had a 5-under 67 Sunday and Siem turned in a 70. Marcus Fraser and Jose Manuel Lara, who each were 2-under Sunday, tied for fourth at 11-under.

"I'm very relieved to win for the first time," said Kruger. "If you want to win you need to make putts on the final day and I did that today.

"It's a big relief now that I've won but I think I needed all those second-placed finishes to be able to appreciate it. There was no pressure even when I made my only bogey of the day on the 17th."

Kruger had just three bogeys all week and padded his lead Sunday with birdies at 4, 6, 8. He was up by three after another birdie at the par-3 11th hole.

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He made the final holes interesting, however, when he overshoot the green with his approach at 17 and wound up with a bogey. He drive in 18 hit a camera and his second ended up in the trees.

But his third ended up just 10 feet from the cup and he made the putt for par.

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