SUTTON COLDFIELD, England — Niklas Norgaard held his nerve after botching three chip pictures for a double bogey, ending birdie-par for an even-par 72 and a two-shot victory Sunday within the British Masters.
It was the primary European tour victory for the 32-year-old from Denmark, and Norgaard needed to sweat it out greater than anticipated.
He began the ultimate spherical at The Belfry with a four-shot lead. Thriston Lawrence of South Africa closed to inside one shot till a two-shot swing on the par-3 twelfth, when Norgaard made birdie and Lawrence took a bogey.
Nevertheless it almost got here undone on the par-5 fifteenth. Norgaard was over the inexperienced in two after which shockingly took 4 chips to succeed in the inexperienced — two of them shifting just a few ft — and taking double bogey as his lead dropped to 2 pictures.
Norgaard conceded to being nervous going after his first win — “I virtually threw up at breakfast,” he stated — however not on the double bogey.
“I used to be not that nervous there. I am simply actually unhealthy at chipping,” he stated. “The essential one was the putt on 17.”
On the par-5 seventeenth, Norgaard was within the greenside bunker in two whereas Lawrence had a prolonged try at eagle. The Dane blasted out to 12 ft and holed the birdie putt. Lawrence might solely two-putt for birdie and the lead stayed at two happening the 18th.
“I made that present on gap 15 and thought, ‘Did I give it away?’ I am very completely happy the best way it ended right here,” Norgaard stated. He discovered the golf green on the 18th and two-putted for par with none extra drama.
Norgaard completed on 16-under 272. Lawrence closed with a 70, whereas Rasmus Hojgaard of Denmark took third with a 65.
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