European Tour: Danish Teen Rasmus Hojgaard Rallies to win UK Championship
While the PGA Tour saw a fantastic finish at the BMW Championship, Rasmus Hojgaard was the surprise winner at the UK Championship on the European Tour.
On Sunday at the UK Championship on the European Tour, 19-year-old Rasmus Hojgaard came from behind with a stunning 7-under 65 to secure a place in a sudden-death playoff with South African Justin Walters. It took Hojgaard two holes in the playoff to secure the win, which is his second in only 15 starts on the European Tour since December 2019.
Walters held the lead from the start after his 8-under 64 on Thursday. Throughout the weekend, he looked poised to take his maiden victory on the European Tour, but a triple bogey on the par 4 eighth hole put paid to that.
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Two-time major champion Martin Kaymer, who hasn’t won on the European Tour for the past 6 years, was tied for the lead with two holes to play. With a bogey on the 17th and a missed 15 foot putt for birdie on the 18th, he missed out on his place in the playoff.
After a 1-over 73 on Thursday, Hojgaard played consistently over the weekend to put himself in a position to make a run on Sunday. Still behind after the 15th hole, Hojgaard was clutch down the stretch as he birdied the 16th and eagled the 17th to cap off an excellent round and book his place in the playoff.
Walters holed a 10-footer for par on the first playoff hole, but on the second playoff hole his drive veered into a fairway bunker. His shot from the bunker ended up to the right of the green and he could not salvage par from his position. Hojgaard’s two-putt par from the fringe of the green on the second playoff hole was enough to secure the win.
Next. BMW Championship: winners and losers from second playoff event. dark
With this win, the 19-year-old Hojgaard also took the UK Swing Order of Merit title in his rookie season and qualified for the US Open at Winged Foot. This is a young, talented player who has a very bright future ahead of him, without a doubt.