Olesen ends nightmare with dream finish
SUTTON COLDFIELD, ENGLAND - MAY 08: Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark poses with the trophy after winning the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett at The Belfry on May 08, 2022 in Sutton Coldfield, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
DENMARK'S Thorbjorn Olesen put a three-year nightmare behind him when he finished eagle-birdie for the second day running to claim a dramatic one-shot win in the Betfred British Masters at The Belfry.
Just five months ago, the former Ryder Cup star (32) was acquitted by a just in less than an hour after a three-day trial for sexual assault and being drunk on an aircraft in July 2019.
Olesen claimed prescription-only sleeping pills bought on a "dodgy website" by his partner turned him into an "automaton" and the jury exonerated him fully.
But the Dane lost a string of sponsors and fell from the world's top 50 to outside the top 500 as he sat on golf's sidelines for 12 months following the incident.
He'd gone six months without a top 10 finish before rounds of 66, 70 and 69 gave him a three-stroke overnight lead heading into the final round.
But his lead evaporated quickly as he turned in two-over, then bogeyed the 14th and 15th to trail clubhouse leader Sebastian Soderberg of Sweden by two strokes.
"Everything was going left," Olesen confessed. "It was tough to play when you have that, but I kept on fighting. I saw I still had a chance going up to 17, and I thought if I can make birdie, birdie, maybe I can get into a playoff."
Instead, he went one better and after making a 28 footer for an eagle three at the 17th to tie for the lead, he made a 35 footer for birdie at the 18th for a 73, his sixth DP World Tour win and his first since 2018.
"I was really struggling," said an emotional Olesen, who moves to the top of the European Qualifying Series for this year's US Open. "I somehow just kept going, and yeah, what a finish. Incredible."
He joins an illustrious list of past winners that include major championsTony Jacklin, Bernhard Langer, Greg Norman, Ian Woosnam, Lee Trevino, Seven Ballesteros, Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo and Justin Rose.
"There are many emotions," he said. "It's been a long time since I won, and I knew how hard it was going to be. It's obviously a massive tournament. It's always been; so many great champions here. It's a privilege to get your name there."
In Spain, Olivia Mehaffey clinched her career-best finish on the Ladies European Tour when she closed with a five-under 67 at Jarama-RACE Golf Club to finish solo ninth in the Comunidad de Madrid Ladies Open.
She finished on 12-under-par, 11 shots behind Spain's Ana Pelaez, whose 66 gave her a six-shot win over Sweden's Linnea Strom.
In Baltray, Knock's Katie Poots was thrilled to take second place and the Flogas Irish Girls' Amateur Open title as Scotland's Lorna McClymont cruised to a four-shot win in the Irish Women's Amateur Open on nine-under-par at County Louth.
The recent winner of the Fairhaven Trophy, Poots went into the final round two shots behind McClymont but eagled the ninth to turn in two-under and tied for the lead.
But McClymont, who started her round with a double bogey, played the back nine in four-under 32, following a birdie four at the 11th with three consecutive birdies to finish for a closing 70 and victory.
Poots had to settle for a two-under 72 after finishing with nine straight pars. But she was pleased to win the Irish Girls' Amateur Open title by a shot from Irish teammate Marina Joyce Moreno, who was third overall after a bogey-free 72.
"I played pretty solid there today, just the putts weren't dropping, but sure I am happy enough and really happy with coming second too," said Poots. "Lorna played class, and her putting at the end was class. I am delighted for her. I didn't make as many birdies as I wanted to on the back nine, but I finished well."
