John Catlin becomes the first American after Tiger Woods to win at Valderrama

SOTOGRANDE, Spain – John Catlin became the first American since Tiger Woods to win Sunday at Valderrama, surviving conditions so difficult he didn’t birdie in his 4-over 75 and held out for a one-shot win in the Masters of Andalusia.

Catlin won the European Tour for the first time and denied Martin Kaymer another chance to end a six-year drought.

Kaymer, who has now participated in 156 events since his last victory at the 2014 US Open at Pinehurst No. 2, twice had putt birdie within 10 feet to take the lead. He missed them both on the 16th and 17th holes and they proved expensive.

Catlin made a superb up and down from behind the 17th green, leaving them tied to the 18th hole.

Catlin was in the fairway and played a fade around the cork trees at the bottom of the green, preparing a long two-putt for his par. Kaymer from the right rough entered the right bunker and hit his sand shot from 25 yards right across the green. His chip to force a playoff landed near the hole and he had to settle for a 74.

Last week Kaymer also finished a shot behind The Belfry, another former Ryder Cup course.

Catlin, who grew up in Sacramento, California and played in New Mexico, is a four-time Asian Tour winner and had limited status on the European Tour until Sunday’s victory.

“That was my goal … To achieve this is pretty hard to put into words right now,” he said.

Woods won the world championship of golf in Valderrama in 1999, beating Miguel Angel Jimenez in a playoff.

Catlin finished with 2 of 286, the first time a regular European Tour event has been won with a higher par score since the Spanish Open in Valderrama in 2016.

The course lived up to its reputation as a theater.

Catlin had a two-shot lead going towards nine when he teed his 12th par-3 tee shot and bogeyed, and Kaymer made a 7-foot birdie putt for a two-shot swing and a one-shot lead. blow. It was the first time since the sixteenth hole of the opening round that Catlin was behind.

They were tied when Kaymer bogeyed from just under the 13th green. Kaymer regained the lead on the 14th when Catlin’s 8-foot par putt jumped out. Kaymer returned it when he missed an 8-foot par putt in the 15th, just after Catlin made his about 12-foot par putt.

“The nerves were going crazy throughout the round,” Catlin said.

South Africa’s Justin Harding birdieed 17th and was suddenly tied for the lead at 2 over, only to double bogey in 18th. He finished in third place with a 71.

The win closes six tumultuous weeks for Catlin, disqualified from the English championship for breaking the European Tour bubble by going out to dinner with his caddy. He apologized for what he said was bad judgment, returned next week to equalize for sixth place in the Celtic Classic and now has full membership in the European Tour.

For Kaymer, the wait continues. Next up is the US Open at the Winged Foot in New York.