The third week of the Iberian Swing of the DP World Tour came to a spectacular end on the last day on the island of Mallorca, home this week of the Son Muntaner Golf Club in Palma.
Starting the day in the top spot were Germany’s Yannik Paul and Kiwi Ryan Fox, both starting the day at 16-under.
A double bogey on the first hole for Fox finally set the tone for the man then ranked third in the DP World Tour Rankings, more bogeys on three, six and nine, leaving him at 39 and ending his career. chances of a third win of the season. as he finished day three on par 74, tied for 4th.
A similar trend began for Yannik Paul, in an over 36, leaving him back in the mix with the chasing pack.
England’s Marcus Armitage started day two from the lead, and made his task of winning that much more difficult from the start. Three bogeys in his first six holes moved him down the rankings. The birdie on eight seemed to get him going when another three birdies to open the last nine of his put him level with Yannik Paul.
Meanwhile, six groups ahead, Paul Waring, whose maiden win came at the 2018 Nordea Masters, set the club’s home lead at 14-under-par, after a bar-setting five-under 66.
The biggest swing of the day came on the 15th hole, a bogey for Paul after a mistimed second shot left the door open for Armitage, who then holed an eight-foot clutch for birdie that brought him to -16, two clear. with three to play. .
Armitage was left with two clearings with three remaining to play in Mallorca
There was more drama to come with Germany’s Nicolai Von Dellingshausen shooting his final hole to tie Waring in the clubhouse at 14-under. Both had to wait and see if a tiebreaker was needed.
Armitage’s lead didn’t last long, as a par four-footer missed on 16 and an out-of-bounds tee shot on 17 resulted in a double bogey seven that returned him to 13 under with one hole to play. .
Yannik Paul had managed to stay at the top of the leaderboard and saved his best work for last. Needing a birdie to secure victory, he starred from the periphery with his 10-footer to become the 2022 Mallorca Golf Open champion. A one-shot victory that moves him up to 20th in the DP World Tour Rankings.
“Today was very difficult, my ball stroke was incredible all week, I hit it very close on the first few holes and I couldn’t putt, so it was very difficult to stay in the moment.
“I was just trying to breathe, on the 11th hole we had to wait a long time and I actually got pretty nervous and just tried to stay in the moment. Unfortunately, Marcus hit a couple of bad shots and I couldn’t have dreamed of a better ending and I’m over the moon.
“To finish like this is a dream come true, I couldn’t ask for anything better at this point.”
Dubai-based pros Cabrera Bello and last week’s winner Otaegui finished 37 and 47 respectively.
Next week, the DP World Tour heads to the Dom Pedro Victoria golf course in Vilamoura, Portugal, for the Portugal Masters.
Source: news.google.com