Sergio García the host with the most at Andalucía Valderrama Masters

Sergio García played steady golf down the stretch to win in the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in front of his home fans.

It’s not enough for Sergio García to have his name on the tournament. He had to go win it, too.

García hung on for victory with a little Valderrama drama Sunday at the Andalucía Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio García Foundation. His score of 12-under 272 fended off playing partners Joost Luiten by one and Daniel Brooks by five.

The 37-year-old Spaniard had to fight to the finish for what was his 14th European Tour win, sixth in his home country and a record third on the European Tour in 2017.

“The people were unbelievable, amazing, so many people came out and supported, it was really a treat,” García is quoted in a European Tour press release. “I want to dedicate this one to my wife Angela and our little baby coming next year in March.”

After García and Luiten both made birdie on the par-5 17th, García skirted with disaster, knifing his tee shot on the par-4 finishing hole through the trees into the fairway. One bullet dodged, another to come.

His right foot slipped on the turf before impact, but the elite ball striker was unfazed. He knocked his approach to within 25 feet for an easy two-putt par and the win as Luiten’s birdie try from about 30 feet below the hole to force a playoff hit the cup and slid by.

Luiten just can’t quite seal the deal at Valderrama. He finished runner up by one to Andrew Johnston here in 2016 at the Open de España.

García began the day one ahead of Brooks, though the Englishman fell behind early as he struggled to make birdies with the rest of the field. Sunday was a tournament within a tournament for Brooks, though, as he entered the day No. 123 in the Race to Dubai and ended at 97. He needed a high finish in the final regular season event of 2017 to earn 2018 status, which he achieved with his solo third.

Despite Luiten making a hard charge with the low round of the day, 66, García was nearly flawless, too. He posted a Sunday 67 featuring only one bogey on the par-4 12th, the fourth-hardest hole of the tournament.

The winner was one of few players to avoid double-bogey all week and was in or near the lead for all 72 holes.

Notes

While the fans adorned in red and yellow were happy to see native son García win, they didn’t get to see rising Spanish star Jon Rahm on the weekend. He missed the cut for the first time since June.

Not only did Brooks earn his card for 2018, but his seven-under 64 on Saturday was the low round of the tournament

Jamie Donaldson also kept his card. He needed a top-eight finish and did better with a T4 to move up from 118th to No. 99 in the Race to Dubai.

A lot of players had the best week of their European Tour season in Spain. From the top 10, these players tied or beat their highest finish in 2017: García (first), Luiten (second), Brooks (third), Jamie Donaldson (fourth), Wade Ormsby (fifth) and Anders Hansen (T6).

Danny Willett (T18, E) had his highest finish since a T5 at the Maybank Championship in February.

Andrew Johnston was the last to win a golf tournament at Valderrama, and he played well again here in his second start back from injury with a T23 (+1) finish.

Notables not yet mentioned: Spaniards Adrian Otaegui and Pablo Larrazabal (T12, -1); Shane Lowry (T12, -1); Andy Sullivan (T18, E); Martin Kaymer and Pádraig Harrington (T27, +2); José María Olazábal (MC, +7).

The European Tour is semi-idle next week as it shares the spotlight with the PGA Tour for the WGC-HSBC Champions. The Race to Dubai Final Series begins in two weeks.

Next: CJ Cup: Justin Thomas outlasts Marc Leishman in playoff victory

Can Garcia add one more title – the Race to Dubai season championship – to an already stellar year?