Larrazábal and Caldwell on the comeback trail; Leona 13th in Marbella
Pablo Larrazábal
Pablo Larrazábal and Clandeboye's Jonny Caldwell were celebrating in South Africa after completing memorable comebacks in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek.
The Spaniard (36) made a remarkable recovery from a nightmare front nine, overcoming a blister on his big toe and a four-shot deficit to hobble to victory for the first time in four-and-a-half years thanks to three birdies in his last four holes. Scores
It was almost as memorable for Qualifying School graduate Caldwell (35) who notched the best finish on his European Tour more than a decade after his debut.
Relegated to the mini tours after losing his card in 2010, the Co Down man closed with a one-under 71 to tie for 14th on level par and earn a career-best payday of €20,550.
"I'm delighted with the week's work," said Caldwell, who hadn't played a European Tour event for more than eight years.
"My game was good at the Final Stage of Q-School but didn't really have it here all week so I'm pleased that I grinded hard and was sensible with my misses and my short game was good."
Now 12th in the Race to Dubai and looking forward to his winter break after playing almost non-stop from the last six weeks, he admitted that it was pure "love of the game" that's kept him going during the lean years.
"I can't think of anything else I would rather be doing," said Caldwell, who will not be teeing it up in this week’s AFRASIA BANK Mauritius Open. "It's such a great game. It's just highs and lows."
"I woke up this morning and didn't think I was going to play."
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 1, 2019
A simply incredible comeback.@plarrazabal #DunhillChamps pic.twitter.com/3Rs5psIFzd
It was even more memorable week for Larrazábal, who got up and down at the 18th for birdie to clinch the fifth win of his European Tour career and his first since the 2015 BMW International Open.
He was leading by three shots overnight from the Netherlands' Will Besseling, but struggling to walk after waking up with a blister on his right toe, he made five bogeys and a double-bogey in a six-over front nine of 41.
As the tournament developed into a shootout between Besseling, Swede Joel Sjolholm and South Africans Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel and Zander Lombard, Larrazábal refused to go away.
Schwartzel and Sjoholm set the target at seven-under, but Larrazábal made back to back birdies at the 15th and 16th to make it a four-way tie with Besseling playing the par-five 18th and hit a stunning pitch to three feet as the Dutchman ended up in rocks over the green with his and made six after being forced to manufacture an attempted escape with his putter.
“I woke up this morning and I didn’t think I was going to play," said an emotional Larrazábal, who shot 75 to win by a shot from Sjoholm on eight-under to claim €237,750.
"I couldn’t put my shoe on, I couldn’t walk to the buggy. I couldn't go to the putting green. I really struggled today.
"I said to myself going to 10, you cannot walk, you cannot swing. I have a big blister on my right toe and I couldn't do the follow through. So I said to myself, ‘If Tiger can win a US Open with a broken leg, what is a blister?'
"I just put heart. I said to myself, you are playing the worst golf of your career, and you cannot walk and you are just two behind. It's been a long road. I really struggled the last four years and this is where I want to be. To be a winner again means so much."
On the Ladies European Tour, Leona Maguire tied for 13th as the Netherlands' Anne Van Dam retained her title in the Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de España. Scores
🏆 SPANISH DOUBLE 🏆@Annevandam successfully defends her @Openfemenino title. Let the celebrations begin 🙌🏻#OpenEsFem pic.twitter.com/itBLmGhPY2
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) December 1, 2019
After starting with rounds of 74 and 73, the Slieve Russell star followed a b25th birthday 68 with final round 69 to finish on four-under par.
Vam Dam shot 70 to win by a shot and retain her title as Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen tugged her drive into a lake and three-putted for a double bogey six at the 18th to finish tied for second with India's Aditi Ashok
Meanwhile, Portmarnock's Conor Purcell is looking forward to this week's star-studded Emirates Australian Open after grinding out a top 30 finish on his professional debut in Sydney.
The former Walker Cup player (22) tied for 29th in the $400,000 AVJennings NSW Open on seven-under-par, ten strokes behind Australian's Josh Younger at Twin Creeks Golf and Country Club. Scores
"It was a great week," said Purcell, who won $2,560 after mixing 19 birdies with 12 bogeys over the four rounds, following an opening 74 with rounds of 67, 70 and 70.
Barry Lane shows off the trophy after his win in the the inaugural MCB Tour Championship – Madagascar. Picture: Getty Images
"I have plenty of good things to build on going into next week. I was very pleased with the way I fought back after a bad first day. I didn't have my A-game over the weekend, so it was nice to grind out two sub-par rounds."
On the Staysure Tour, Barry Lane shot a final round 69 to come from four shots behind to win the inaugural MCB Tour Championship – Madagascar by one stroke on three-under. Scores
Paul McGinley shot 76 and Philip Walton a 70 to tie for 37th and 40th respectively.
