Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen overcame seeing a seven-shot lead reduced to just one mid-round before holding on to capture a Euro 1m first prize cheque and become Europe’s newest Euro 7m man following victory in the Turkish Airlines Open at Belek.

Olesen, 26 eventually won by three strokes with a round of 69 for a 20-under par tally on the Regnun Carya course.

It is Olesen’s fourth European Tour success and has taken his career earnings through the Euro 7m barrier in his seventh season on the tour while the London-based player has moved from 32^nd to ninth on the Race to Dubai.

“It was a weird feeling coming out today knowing I was leading by seven as I knew the guys would shoot a low number today, so I had to go out and see if I could make a few birdies,” he said.

“After nine holes there were a few guys shooting low numbers so all of a sudden there was a lot of pressure on me.

Denmark’s Thorbjorn joins Europe’s Euro 7m winning club with victory in the Turkish Ailrines Open. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)

“But I tried to play steady and clearly the last four holes were tough mentally and it was really difficult.”

Olesen’s biggest challenge came from England’s David Horsey who had managed to cut the Dane’s lead to just one shot in racing to six under par for his round through 12 holes.

Horsey went into the last day sharing second place at 11-under par and while he birdied the 15^th to go to 18-under the Englishman dropped a shot at the next to eventually shoot a round of 65 and share second place on 17-under par.

Joining Horsey in second spot was China’s Haotong Li who capped a similar last round 65 with four birdies in succession from his 14^th hole.

Olesen had been level par over his outward nine with one birdie and a bogey before finally answering Horsey’s charge with birdies at the 12^th, 14^th and 15^th and while he bogeyed the 16^th it was still good enough to secure the biggest purse of his eight-year pro career.

“I was watching the leader boards around the course and I knew what I had to do, and even though my lead was down from seven shots to one, it does put pressure on you,” he said.

“But to win this event means a lot to me as the last three to four months my game has been pretty poor, and I haven’t played well.

“So all of a sudden I am in contention and leading by a quite a big margin and that was difficult knowing I hadn’t been playing that well of late.

“I didn’t feel that comfortable near the end of the round but I got over the line over those last four holes and lucky enough to win.”

Horsey’s effort was his best finish since winning a fourth Tour title in August last year in Denmark and has seen the 31-year old move to 53^rd on the Race to Dubai.

“I thought, if I could get to sort of 20, that would be a reasonable effort and put a little bit of pressure on Thorbjorn,” said Horsey.

“I just wanted to put a little pressure early doors and thankfully was able to do that but then just ran out of a bit of steam there on the back nine.

“I am pleased with how I played. Probably the best I’ve played all week, so yeah, a little disappointed I couldn’t keep it going on the back nine.”

Li, 21 also secured the biggest cheque of his European Tour career and some Euro 100,000 more than capturing the Volvo China Open earlier this year.

The effort has seen the Shanghai-born Li move to 41^st on the Race to Dubai.

“It’s fantastic for me,” he said.

“I already do my best, and just like I said yesterday, only top five is really, really good for me.

“Actually today is quite a surprise for me because back nine, I don’t know, just shot like 5-under, something like that. Yeah, great round.”

Masters Champion Danny Willett failed poorly to regain his Race to Dubai lead in posting closing round 75 for a disappointing two over par tally.

Willett needed to finish fifth or higher to go past the absent Henrik Stenson but ended the Turkey event sharing 68^thplace.

The Englishman could manage just two birdies in a last day effort that also included four bogeys and a fifth hole double bogey.

Both Stenson and Willett will be contesting Thursday’s starting Nedbank Challenge at Sun City in South Africa and the second of the Tour’s Final Series.