Luiten wins in Wales
Joost Luiten showed nerves of steel as he recovered from a poor start to win his fourth European Tour title in the Wales Open on Sunday.
While the start to the final round was anything but convincing, his finish was equally nerve wreaking.
The man from the Netherlands enjoyed a two-shot lead at the start of play, but would bogey the first two holes before hitting back with three birdies, and another drop shot, on the back-nine for a final round 71.
“It was tough, it was hard work down the last,” Luiten told the Tour’s official website.
“I didn’t have the start I wanted with two bogeys and I just tried to hang in there and wait for my chances and made some nice birdies at the end and a par down the last was luckily enough.
“There’s always a lot of tension on the first hole – you try to settle down, try to make an easy par or birdie and then I left myself quite a tricky first putt and I just didn’t read it well. I didn’t give the right pace and you leave yourself an eight footer downhill left to right and that’s one you can make or miss and I missed it today.
“You just try to settle down the first couple holes, and after that, I got back into my game. I started to hit greens, and I just didn’t really make any putts in the middle part – luckily we made a couple at the back.”
Luiten finished one shot clear of England’s Tommy Fleetwood who had an equally strange finish to the day.
Fleetwood looked to be out of contention when he carded a double bogey on the 13th, but bounced back by chipping-in for birdie on the 14th and would also card an eagle – with three more birdies on his way home – for a final round 67.
Five players shared fourth place on 12 under, Ryder Cup debutant Jamie Donaldson carding a 67 to finish alongside Nicolas Colsaerts, Eddie Pepperell, Marc Warren, Edoardo Molinari.
Latest
-
PGA ChampionshipJustin Thomas pays tribute to caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay after his US PGA victory
Phil Mickelson’s former bagman gave Thomas a crucial pep talk after he shot 74 on Saturday.
-
PGA ChampionshipTommy Fleetwood confident he is ‘coming out the other side’ after dip in form
Fleetwood finished in a tie for fifth at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA ChampionshipEmotional Justin Thomas credits his experience for US PGA victory
Thomas also won the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow.
-
PGA ChampionshipJustin Thomas eclipses Will Zalatoris in play-off to claim second US PGA title
The former world number one’s victory equalled the biggest comeback in US PGA history.
-
PGA ChampionshipRory McIlroy’s Sunday charge at US PGA Championship ends in disappointment
McIlroy’s closing 68 in Tulsa was followed by him declining to speak to waiting reporters.
-
PGA ChampionshipPaul McGinley says Tiger Woods deserves better than to be a ‘ceremonial golfer’
The 46-year-old withdrew from a major championship for the first time in his professional career at Southern Hills.
-
PGA ChampionshipMito Pereira with three-shot lead at US PGA as Tiger Woods withdraws
It is the first time in his career that Woods has withdrawn from a major.
-
PGA ChampionshipMatt Fitzpatrick relishing chance at securing first major title
A third round of 67 means Fitzpatrick trails leader Mito Pereira by three shots at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA ChampionshipTiger Woods withdraws from US PGA following his worst round at event
The American made the halfway cut with a shot to spare at Southern Hills, but struggled to a nine-over-par 79 in the third round.
-
PGA ChampionshipRory McIlroy suffers early blow to slip further back at PGA Championship
After a run of five straight pars McIlroy pulled his tee shot to the par-three sixth into the water and ran up a double-bogey five.