Omega European Masters 2019: Sebastian Soderberg triumphant in playoff

Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg won his maiden European Tour title at the Omega European Masters, winning out in a five-man playoff at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club.

Sebastian Soderberg was the only man to find the fairway on the first playoff hole at the Omega European Masters on Sunday, as the five men came down 18, and he then became the only man to birdie the hole, taking the title after 73 holes.

The Swede had the best round of those in the playoffs, carding a four-under-par final round of 66, which included a run of five consecutive birdies, while Lorenzo Gagli, Rory McIlroy and Kalle Samooja all shot 67. Overnight leader Andres Romero could only score 70 on Sunday.

The playoff saw both Gagli and McIlroy miss the fairway left, with the Italian’s approach shot to the 18th green finding the water, effectively ending his chances. McIlroy and Samooja, whose tee shot went right, both found the green, while Romero went through the back.

Both the Northern Irishman and Finn saw their birdie putts just slide by, to allow Soderberg to take the victory, his first on the European Tour.

Both of the first round leaders, in Matthias Schwab and Mike Lorenzo-Vera finished inside the top ten. The Frenchman was alongside Adri Arnaus in a tie for 6th, while Schwab ended the week in a tie for 8th. He was joined in that group at -12 by Lucas Herbert, who along with Arnaus, shot the low round of the day with a 64.

Wade Ormsby and Tommy Fleetwood also finished in that tie for eighth place, with eight more players ending the week a further shot back from the eventual leader.

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They included last week’s winner, Erik van Rooyen, and the winner of the D+D Real Czech Masters from the week before, Thomas Pieters. Halfway leader Gavin Green and 2019 European Tour winners Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Andrea Pavan also finished inside the top 20.

The Spanish pair of Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sergio Garcia finished the week at 9-under, five shots behind the winner, with Lucas Bjerregard and Lee Westwood a further shot back after four rounds at Crans-sur-Sierre.

The two-time champion from 2017 and 2018, Matt Fitzpatrick, could only finish the week at level par, thanks to a trio of 69s and a 73 in his week.

The European Tour continues next week, with the Porsche European Open at the Green Eagle Golf Course in Hamburg, Germany. Richard McEvoy will be looking to defend the title, which was his maiden victory on the tour when he took the win last year.

Omega European Masters 2019 Final Leaderboard:

1 (-14, Playoff Winner): Sebastian Soderberg (SWE)

T2 (-14): Lorenzo Gagli (ITA), Andres Romero (ARG), Rory McIlroy (NIR), Kalle Samooja (FIN)

T6 (-13): Adri Arnaus (ESP), Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)

T8 (-12): Lucas Herbert (AUS), Matthias Schwab (AUT), Wade Ormsby (AUS), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)

T12 (-11): Thomas Pieters (BEL), Andrea Pavan (ITA), Marcus Kinhult (SWE), Erik van Rooyejn (RSA), Scott Jamieson (SCO), Renato Paratore (ITA), Gavin Green (MAS), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA)

Selected Others:

T23 (-9): Sergio Garcia (ESP), Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP), Andrew Johnston (ENG), Joost Luiten (NED)

T29 (-8): Lucas Bjerregard (DEN), Lee Westwood (ENG)

T35 (-6): Eddie Pepperell (ENG), Jamie Donaldson (WAL), Haydn Porteous (RSA)

T63 (-1): Robert Karlsson (SWE)

T69 (E): Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG)