Westwood charges to title in South Korea

ICHEON, South Korea, May 1 (UPI) -- Lee Westwood came from three strokes behind Sunday and won the European Tour's Ballantine's Championship in South Korea.

It was the 27th European Tour title for Westwood, who last week regained the world No. 1 ranking in men's golf. He had previously been on top of the rankings for 17 weeks beginning last fall.

Westwood had three birdies in his last five holes Sunday for a 5-under-par 67 and 72-hole total of 12-under 276. That was one stroke better than Miguel Angel Jimenez, who had a final round 1-under 71 and was 11-under for the tournament. Park Sang-hyun, 69 in the fourth round, was third at 10-under.

Rains Saturday meant all golfers had to finish through third rounds Sunday before final-round play. Jimenez, Alexander Noren and Rhys Davies ended up tied for the lead at 10-under-par going into the fourth round.

Westwood opened the fourth round in fifth place at 7-under and was 2-under after 13 holes. He pulled into the lead with back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 and closed with a 4 at the par-5, 545-yard finishing hole.

Then he had to wait for the leaders to finish. Davies sagged to a 5-over 77, including taking an 8 at the par-4 12th hole, and Noren shot a final round of 2-over 74 after five bogeys to fall back.

Jimenez had two birdies and two bogeys in his first five holes and a birdie at the ninth got him to 11 under but he had nine consecutive birdies and couldn't catch Westwood.