Sweden’s Peter Hanson is now well in the rear view mirror of Rory McIlroy after winning the BMW Masters for his second European Tour victory of the year, shooting a 5-under 67 to hold off McIlroy by a stroke.
Hanson finished at 21-under 267 on The Masters Course at Lake Malaren and earned $1,166,600 in the European Tour’s richest regular event. He won the KLM Open last month in the Netherlands and has six career tour victories.
World No. 1 McIlroy, the winner last year when the event was a non-sanctioned exhibition tournament, began the final day one shot behind Hanson but found himself four shots behind after five holes.
However the double Major Champion regrouped with four birdies over his next eight holes before eagling the par five, 15th to two but just moments before Hanson birdied the same hole.
McIlroy was only two behind when he holed a 25-footer for birdie at the par three, 16th.
There was some drama at the last when Hanson’s ball seemed to plug in grass near a greenside bunker before being allowed to replace his ball under no penalty.
Despite a bogey, Hanson ended-up a one stroke winner for the biggest single winner’s cheque of his career that also has taken him through the Euro 2m in earnings for a single season.
“It’s fantastic to win the BMW Masters, and to go head-to-head with the World No. 1 is always nice but, to come out on top, it feels great,” said Hanson.
“It’s kind of weird because when you have that kind of lead you’re playing a bit safe and I couldn’t really step it up towards the end, hit the shots and get it up close to the pin.
“So it’s lucky we didn’t have to play another two or three holes.
“This is by far my biggest win so it feels great, as we had just so many guys in the top 10 in the world so this trophy is very, very special to me.”
McIlroy was chasing his fifth victory this season, and while having to settle for the ninth second place European Tour finish, he has increased his lead on the Race to Dubai.
“I didn’t get the best of starts but it started coming together over the back nine and that’s what I wanted Peter to do, and that’s have to try and make him work for it,” said McIlroy.
“So that’s why it would have been nice to hole that putt on the last to have him think a little bit but it wasn’t to be.
“But he played well and deserved his way. To go out there with the lead and play the way he did and shoot 67, is very impressive, so he was always going to be tough to beat.”
McIlroy is now Euro 812,573 ahead of Hanson who has moved into second on the Race to Dubai.
And with McIlroy not contesting next this week’s $7m WGC – HSBC Champions event at Shenzen, the Orlando-based Swede would go ahead of the 23-year old Northern Irishman the southern Chinese city.
Third-ranked Luke Donald was third at 17 under after a 66, and fellow Englishman Ian Poulter completed a Ryder Cup sweep of the top four spots, closing with a 65 to finish at 16 under.
