Zabrizio Zanotti is celebrating becoming the first Paraguay-born player to win on the European Tour defeating World No. 2 Henrik Stenson at the fifth extra play-off hole to capture the BMW International Open near Cologne, Germany.
The 31-year old Asuncion-born player posted a final round 65 to join Stenson (67), Frenchman Gregry Havret (66) and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello (67) in the play-off in the Euro 2m event on the Gut Larcenhof course.
After Havret dropped out at the second extra hole, the current 305th world ranked Zanotti and competing in his 180th Tour event, matched the birdies of Stenson and Cabrera-Bello at the third extra hole where rain began falling heavily.
Fabrizio Zanotti creates Tour history becoming the first Paraguay golfer to win on the European Tour. (Photo – David Lloyd/www.golffile.ie)
Stenson and Cabrera-Bello where then in rough off the tee at the fourth extra hole, the par four 18th, and with the Spaniard dropping out after finding water guarding the green with his second shot.
Stenson was forced to lay-up short of the green before then matching Zanotti’s par.
However Stenson then found the water with his tee shot, at the fifth extra hole and shortened par four 17th, and with Zanoitti then sensibly electing to lay-up.
Zanoitti then created European Tour history when Stenson, who found a greenside bunker with his third shot, conceded victory when failing to find the bottom of the hole with his bunker shot and then showing his disgust in hitting his ball in the water ahead of shaking hands with the surprised Zanotti.
And England’s James Heath was in disbelief in being handed the keys to a gleaming Euro 160,000 gleaming BMW i8 sports coupe after a hole-in-one at the par three 16th.
It is London golfer’s first Tour hole-in-one and the 17th in his career but strangely just the first time he’s won any prize.
