Rasmus Hojgaard Claims Dramatic Omega European Masters

Rasmus Hojgaard Claims Dramatic Omega European Masters

Rasmus Hojgaard made it a hattrick of European Tour wins as Bernd Wiesberger found the water at the 72nd hole to give Hojgaard a one shot victory at the Omega European Masters.

The Dane had started his round four shots back of the overnight leaders, Sean Crocker and Renato Paratore, and with a blemish free round of 63, it seemed that he would come up just shy by a shot.

However, the leader, Wiesberger, who had a fantastic opportunity to take the ninth automatic Ryder Cup qualification place, would have a calamitous final hole, chunking his second shot into the water and missing a 30-foot bogey putt to drop him from one ahead to one back.

Wiesberger was looking for a ninth European Tour win. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

With a double bogey at the last, Wiesberger will now need a big performance at either the Italian Open or the BMW PGA Championship, the final events to determine the automatic spots for team Europe.

Starting his round with an opening birdie, Hojgaard made seven consecutive pars before another birdie at the ninth to get him to two-under-par.

With players making their way through the back nine, former Open champion Henrik Stenson set the club house target at 12-under-par, with a 63 catapulting him a near 25 places up the leaderboard.

That target certainly gave the players something to think about, but Hojgaard seemed up to the challenge, with two birdies and an eagle on the back nine giving him a one shot deficit playing the last hole.

The 20-year-old showed his class and bottle at the tough finishing hole, with his approach shot almost landing straight in the cup.

Leaving eight-foot for birdie, his right to left putt found the centre of the hole, with a target of 13-under-par set for Wiesberger.

Looking for his second victory of the season, the Austrian seemed to be holding his nerve, with a birdie at the par-3 16th giving him a one shot lead with two to play.

A solid par followed before major drama at the last. Putting himself 111-yards away from the flag, Wiesberger found himself with a perfect lie in the fairway bunker.

Needing a four to win, he amazingly chunked his shot into the water short of the flag, with his recovery shot not much better.

Having to hole a bogey putt to force a playoff, he ran it by the hole, giving Hojgaard his third European Tour title before the age of 21.

“I didn’t expect to be in this position but it’s amazing,” said Hojgaard. “I knew I had to make a birdie (at the last) to have a chance of getting into the playoff.

“We got the birdie and then had a bit of a strange ending. It was crazy. It’s by far the most nervous I’ve been the whole day, but it’s so nice to have the crowds back. That was a great moment.”