Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn struck a further blow for the over-40 year olds in fighting his way through a five man play off over five extra holes to capture the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
Bjorn, who turned 40 in February, recorded a final round 69 to finish tied on 11-under par with South African George Coetzee (67), Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal (69), England’s Mark Foster(72) and Austrian Brend Wiesberger (69).
Thomas Bjorn emerges from a five man and five hole play-off to capture the Johnnie Walker Championship. (Photo - Stuart Adams/www.golffile.ie)
After Wiesberger dropped out, he was followed by Larrazabal and then the hapless Foster, who had bogeyed the last in regulation, it came down to Bjorn finally claiming his 12th Tour success with a birdie, and also claim his second victory this year.
In fact, Bjorn had birdied the 18th on the third and fourth extra occasion before achieving the feat again when it mattered most.
“I didn’t see this win coming considering how I played over the two weeks in America,” said Bjorn.
“In the end it was all down to Mark’s mistake that we were all in a play-off.
“But I had to dig pretty deep in the end, and when you set out in a play-off with five guys you are almost a little too relaxed as it takes a lot to go your way,” said Bjorn.
“As we got rid of one player after another it all became very hard but the way I played the last three play-off holes I can’t be more proud.”
Bjorn collected a first prize cheque of £233,330 first prize cheque that has seen him move from 15th and to eighth on the Race to Dubai.
It is the fifth over-40 year’s victory on the Race to Dubai Tour this year with Bjorn now joining fellow over-40 year olds Ernie Els (South African Open), Darren Clarke (Iberdrola Open and The Open) and Thomas Levet (French Open.)
“I’ve only won twice before in one season in Europe and that was in 1998, so this win is special,” said Bjorn.
“It’s the year of guys over 40 really. That’s a good thing at the moment, when there’s so many young players coming through.
“It’s just nice to go out there and feel like you can compete still with all these youngsters. Some of them hit it a long way today and they have got not fear.
“But to get that feeling that you can still compete with them and experience those winning feelings is nice.
Spain's Pablo Larrazabal acknowledges the crowd after dropping out of the five man Johnnie Walker Championship play off. (Photo - Stuart Adams/www.golffile.ie)
It was the first occasion since the 1992 BMW International Open there has been a five man play-off in a European Tour event.
Wiesberger was the first to be eliminated in taking a bogey.
It meant Foster, Bjorn, Larrazabal and Coetzee headed back to the 18th for a third time in the day.
Bjorn then had the best chance of victory but left his 10-foot birdie putt about six inches short of the hole.
Larrazabal, who had taken compatriot Sergio Garcia five extra holes to win the BMW International Open, flew the green with his third but then took a further three to get down for a bogey.
So we were now down to three – Bjorn, Foster and Coetzee.
Remarkably and much to the delight of those gathered around the 18th, the remaining three then got to within five feet with their third shots.
All three birdied so it was back to the 18th for the fourth extra hole.
Both Bjorn and Coetzee walked off with birdies so it meant playing the 18th hole today for a sixth time for both, and with Bjorn emerging in near darkness to claim his 12th European Tour success.
