Fabian Gomez had just notched his seventh consecutive birdie, eight of the day, to move to 20-under for the week at the Sony Open in Hawaii, when commentators began to discuss the possibility of two events: a 59 and a runaway victory. Neither happened, as a wayward drive on No. 13 and a three-putt green on No. 14 led to bogeys for Gomez and renewed hope for his chasers.

Out of the field of pursuers, overnight leader Brandt Snedeker surged, playing the back nine in 4-under, after a somewhat-disinterested front nine of even par left him apparently out of the chase. Gomez then birdied the final two holes and the two were tied for the lead, one shot ahead of Zac Blair. In the playoff, Snedeker and Gomez had looks at birdie on No. 18, but both missed. On the second go-round, Gomez reached the par 5 in two and two-putted for birdie. Snedeker had to lay up, and could not make an 8-footer to match Gomez, and the Argentine had his second career PGA Tour title.

Tried like hell but couldn’t make the putts I needed to. Congrats to Fabien on a great win! New Bridgestone driver and ball are awesome!!!!!

— Brandt Snedeker (@BrandtSnedeker) January 18, 2016

Related: See what clubs Gomez used to win, Snedeker’s new driver 

G’Day, G’Bye Mate: Norman Out As Fox Golf Analyst

If wire reports are accurate, Greg Norman will be boothless in 2016, having been relieved of his duties as lead golf analyst for Fox Sports after one season. The skinny on the Aussie is lack of preparation and lack of commitment to the moment. Specifics target his mute response to Dustin Johnson’s rise and fall on the 72nd hole at last year’s U.S. Open. Golf telecasters traipse along a razor’s edge of saying too much and saying too little. One camp demands that the shots and the scenery tell the story (the Henry Longhurst approach) while the other compels the talent to control the moment (a la Johnny Miller). Whatever the case with Fox Sports, if reports are true, they needed more Miller Time from Greg than they got.

Porteous wins European Tour’s Joburg Open

 

Haydn Porteous’ Sunday: ???? 18 greens in reg ???? 3 birdies ???? 0 bogeys ???? First European Tour win ???? Invite to @TheOpen https://t.co/X3rkI04MqB

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) January 18, 2016

South African Haydn Porteous followed in step with countryman Brandon Stone, who secured his first European Tour victory last week. Porteous, a mere 21 years of age, posted an error-free final round of 69 to win by two over countryman Zander Lombard.

Porteous and Lombard entered the final round in a first-place tie, and it was Lombard who slipped, playing the six-hole stretch from Nos. 9 to 14 in 3-over. Porteous offered unspectacular, efficient shot-making throughout the day. The success of Porteous and Stone, along with the runner-up performances of Lombard and Christian Bezuidenhout last week, might mark a generation of talented South African golfers to succeed current major champions Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.

Eurasia 2016 Cup Flies Home With Team Europe

European team captain Darren Clarke might have gathered his team on Saturday night and might have reminded the players of the Team Asia comeback of 2014, in this fashion: Let’s see, we were up 7 points to 3 when that group stormed back to win 7 of 10 matches and tie the cup. Let’s not let that happen again.

Up 9 points to 3 this time, the Europeans were in the clear, but not yet winners.

On Sunday at Glenmarie Golf Club in Malaysia, Europe won its first four matches to claim the 2016 Eurasia Cup. A victory termed kindly by the official European Tour website as “Emphatic” described a complete outclassing from start to finish. On Days 1 and 2, Team Asia had a chance to close the gap, yet the European pairing of Soren Kjeldsen and Victor Dubuisson found a way to halve its match and gain crucial half-points.

On Day Three, Team Asia captain Jeev Milka Singh decided against stacking the front of his order with his better players. In contrast, Europe sent out Ian Poulter, Danny Willett, Andy Sullivan and Matthew Fitzpatrick, and the English European brigade took quick command of the day. The first four matches went to the visitors, hands were shaken and away flew the cup.

Chaplet wins Latin America Amateur, earns spot in Masters

On Sunday at Casa De Campo in the Dominican Republic, San Jose resident Paul Chaplet won the second Latin America Amateur Championship. The 16-year old finished one stroke ahead of Venezuela’s Jorge Garcia, whose penultimate-hole bogey dropped him to 2-under. By virtue of his triumph, Chaplet earned invitations to the Masters, the U.S. Junior and U.S. and British Amateur championships, and exemptions to final-stage qualifying for the British and U.S. Open championships. He will be the second-youngest competitor in the history of the Masters.

Gaston Bertinotti of Argentina held the third-round lead, but ballooned to a 77 in round four. Six bogies and a double did the gregarious Platense in. Tied for third were 2015 runner-up Alejandro Tosti of Argentina, Luis Fernando Barco of Peru, and Joaquin Niermann of Chile. The 2017 event will be played in Central America, at the Club de Golf de Panama, in Panama City.