Larrazabal Makes It Back-To-Back Wins In South Africa Capturing MyGolfLife Open

4 years ago by Comments Off on Larrazabal Makes It Back-To-Back Wins In South Africa Capturing MyGolfLife Open

… Fatiha Betscher 

Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal has made it back-to-back wins in South Africa after he birdied the second extra play-off hole to win the inauguaral MyGolfLife Open on the Pecanwood course in Pretoria

Larrazabal, 38, defeated England’s Jordan Smith after the duo and along with Spaniard Adri Arnuas each ended regulation play tied at 22-under-par.

The trio headed back to the 18th where Larrazabl and Smith birdied the hole but with Arnaus posting a bogey ‘5’ to officially finish third, leaving Larrazabal and Smith again returning to 18th where Larrazabal superbly landed his approch shot around four-feet right of the flag, and this after Smith’s second shot kicked horribly to end in the back left corner of the green.

Smith, and seeking a second DP World Tour win since capturing the 2017 Porsche European Open horribly three-putted for bogey whereas Larrazabal drew on his experience of five earlier career wins to hole his birdie putt.

The win is Larrazabal’s sixth DP World Tour title and his second in succession in the Rainbow nation after winning the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Championship that was the opening event of the 2019/20 wraparound European Tour season.

Since coming through the Qualifying School in 2007 and winning the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award the following season, Larrazábal has been one of the DP World Tour’s most consistent performers for over a decade.

He finished outside the top 100 on the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex for the first time last season but this win takes him inside the top ten and moves Spain onto 196 DP World Tour wins.

Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal makes it DP World Tour win No. 6 and a second straight success in South Africa in capturing the inaugural MyGolfLife Open. ({Photo – DP World Tour)

“You guys are fantastic to me,” Larrazabal said in paying tribute to the South African nation. “Since the first time I stepped into this country in December 2007 I realised that this country has something very, very special and it’s you – the people.”

He was also quick to pay tribute to long-time caddie Raúl Quirós, who missed his last victory at Leopard Creek Country Club.

“He has been on the bag for six years and the one week he didn’t come was here in South Africa at Leopard Creek,” he said. “He had a week off and I had the trophy so I want to thank him for all these years and congratulate him.”



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