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Oman Open: Sami Valimaki Claims Maiden Title After Playoff Win

By Matt Coles

MUSCAT, OMAN - MARCH 01: Sami Valimaki of Finland poses with the trophy after winning the Oman Open on the 3rd Playoff Hole during Day Four of the Oman Open at Al Mouj Golf Complex on March 01, 2020 in Muscat, Oman. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
MUSCAT, OMAN - MARCH 01: Sami Valimaki of Finland poses with the trophy after winning the Oman Open on the 3rd Playoff Hole during Day Four of the Oman Open at Al Mouj Golf Complex on March 01, 2020 in Muscat, Oman. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /
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Finland’s Sami Valimaki claimed his maiden European Tour title after winning the Oman Open on the third extra playoff hole at Al Mouj.

Valimaki went up against South Africa’s Brandon Stone after the pair finished tie at the top at -13, with the Finn parring all three of the extra holes, as the pair came down the 18th at the Oman Open again and again. A bogey on the 75th hole from the South African gifted the victory to the 21-year-old.

In regulation time, Valimaki had an up-and-down round of 70, which included three bogeys and a double bogey, along with seven birdies. Stone also produced a round of 70, with four birdies and two bogeys on Sunday.

Adrien Saddier came home in 3rd place following a final day 69, with Mikko Korhonen and Guido Migliozzi a further shot back in a tie for 4th.

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Danish sensation Rasmus Højgaard, former Oman Open winner Joost Luiten and Englishman Callum Shinkwin all started the day in a tie for the lead, but all carded over-par rounds to drop away from the fight for the title.

Germany’s Martin Kaymer, England’s Ross Fisher, Italian Lorenzo Gagli and the Scottish duo of Connor Syme and Grant Forrest all made the move into the top ten at the end of the week.

South Africa’s Zander Lombard shot the lowest round of the day as his seven-under-par 65 saw him make the move from outside the top 60 and into a tie for 25th to finish the tournament.

59 players finished the week in the red numbers, with a further two, in Johannes Veerman and Steven Brown, came home at level par after four days. Meanwhile, it was a bad final day for Italy’s Andrea Pavan, who posted a nine-over-par round of 81 to drop down to 73rd and last.

The European Tour continues on Thursday with the second straight event in the Middle East, as the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters takes centre stage.

Leaderboard:

1 (-13, PLAYOFF): Sami Valimaki (FIN)

2 (-13): Brandon Stone (RSA)

3 (-12): Adrien Saddier (FRA)

T4 (-11): Guido Migliozzi (ITA), Mikko Korhonen (FIN)

Selected Others:

T6 (-9): Rasmus Højgaard (DEN), George Coetzee (RSA)

T10 (-8): Martin Kaymer (GER), Joost Luiten (NED)

T18 (-7): Gavin Green (MAS), Haotong Li (CHN), Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL)

T25 (-6): Zander Lombard (RSA), Callum Shinkwin (ENG)

T43 (-3): Victor Dubuisson (FRA), Søren Kjeldsen (DEN)

T50 (-2): Jamie Donaldson (WAL), Edoardo Molinari (ITA)

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