DP World Tour: Daniel Gavins edges to Ras Al Khaimah Championship title with long putt after finding water twice at 18 | Golf News

Daniel Gavins 25-foot double bogey putt on the final hole to win the Ras Al Khaimah Championship title; The Englishman found the water twice before sinking from distance to claim his second DP World Tour victory; Gavins ended one of Alexander Bjork and Zander Lombard

Daniel Gavins won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship title in dramatic fashion

Daniel Gavins holed a 25-foot putt on the final hole to claim a one-shot victory at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship after his hopes of a second DP World Tour victory appeared lost.

Englishman Gavins started the 18th with a two-shot lead over Alexander Bjork, but found the water twice before sinking his best putt for a second bogey to go 17 under par.

With Bjork has bogeyed the end to finish in the 16th, the only challenge left by Gavins is the 54-hole leader Zander Lombard but the South African could not end the round with the eagle he needed when he matched Bjork in the 16th.

Gavin’s second DP World Tour win comes 18 months after his first – the 31-year-old has secured the ISPS Handa World Invitational in August 2021 – with the victory secured through a superb week.

“I can’t tell,” Gavins said. “I think [I had thrown it away]. I put both in the water and thought ‘that’s one way to end the tournament’.

“I’ve been struggling off the tee for the past two weeks, I’ve been battling, and it’s a difficult hole to go through. Luckily I holed out! I thought I was holing for the play-off. I ‘t realize Bjork has made a bogey.

“I was pretty relaxed all day even though my swing wasn’t great. I obviously felt it on the 18th but other than that it was pretty calm.”

The 31-year-old followed up a bogey on the first hole on Sunday with a five on the spin and then another birdie on the eighth to open up a three-stroke advantage over Bjork, Matthieu Pavon and Lombard.

Bogeys on nine and 12 ended Gavins’ progress and left him tied with Bjork at the top of the leaderboard but he then took back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15 to re-establish a two-stroke advantage before edging to the victory. 18th with a seven-for-three-under 69.

Lombard held a one-shot lead over Rasmus Hojgaard heading into the final round, with Gavins two shots back at 14 under, but there was a dramatic swing to the top after Gavins’ birdie haul and Lombard completed a topsy-turvy front nine in one. – over 37.

The South African, chasing his first DP World Tour title, mixed four bogeys with an eagle and a birdie in the first nine holes before going home in 35.

France’s Pavon made a stunning birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie start but his charge faded after three bogeys and a double over the next nine holes and he finished ninth at 13 under.

Rasmus Hojgaard is aiming to win the tournament a year after his brother Nicolai

Hojgaard twins Nicolai and Rasmus have their attention in the final round, with Nicolai looking to retain the title and Rasmus hoping to pip his brother and ensure they become the first brothers to win the same DP World Tour event.

The 21-year-olds both shot up on Sunday, but Rasmus finished sixth at 14 and Nicolai tied for 13th at 11.

Poland’s Adrian Meronk (15-under) and England’s Ross Fisher (13-under) took the rounds of the day – seven-under 65s matched only by Germany’s Marcel Schneider – as they finished tied for fourth and tied for ninth respectively.

Watch more live DP World Tour action from Thursday when the Singapore Classic begins. Coverage starts at 5.30pm on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event.

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