Matthew Fitzpatrick is the new champion of the Estrella Damm Andalucía Masters. The 27-year-old Englishman was victorious with his -6 among the Valderrama cork oaks, crushed and what at first aimed to be a Spanish golf party, with the number one in the world, Jon Rahm, and the winner of the Spanish Open, Rafa Cabrera Bello, as masters of ceremonies. The Basque made +10 in the first two days and missed the cut; the canary, who finished second on the first day with a fantastic -3, was diluted with the passage of the holes and finished far from the first places.
It was a somewhat scruffy Sunday in Sotogrande, with no national references to spur on. The focus was initially on Laurie Canter, the Englishman who recently finished second in the PGA European Championship, and Fitzpatrick, the top-ranked of those who sealed tickets for the weekend, a man Ryder with seven wins already in his European record. The Briton, who had just had three losses at Whistling Straits for a total record of 0-5 in two appearances, redeemed himself with a very solid tournament: no round in the red, with 64 holes on par or below, kicking from the movies. and leaving a stellar moment like the birdie from the bunker in the seventh on the second day.
This Sunday was like an ant. He made little noise, flying under the radar until he found his moment. He signed 15 pairs in a row and in the 16th, at the same time that the Swede Söderberg lost his starting ball in the 17th to finish with a heartbreaking double bogey that dislodged him from the lead, he took advantage of a medium-distance putt for a birdie and took the lead. . At 17, a treacherous par 5, he subtracted another blow and put the gap with his pursuers in two. In 18, he finished off with par the victory that propels him to fifth place in the Race to Dubai and leaves him an option to win the circuit in the emirate in November.
As for the Spanish, the best was Pablo Larrazábal, who with a final lap of -1 to +1 in total rose to 20th place. Sebas García and Cañizares, the Madrid duo that left some silver lining on Saturday, went to +2 and +1 respectively. +2 in total and 25th place. While Cabrera Bello He recovered the good feelings of Friday and concluded with a solvent 71, two birdies and as many bogeys, for the pair on the day and two up in the accumulated. Also 25th.
Although there was no member of the Navy to cling to, 43,000 people, according to the organization, dropped by Valderrama to witness an appointment that could take on a more important role in the organization chart of the European Tour in future editions. On Saturday Keith Pelley, head of the circuit, dropped by the club to discuss the future of the tournament with those responsible. Soon there could be news about a change of status that, in principle, would always be for the better.
Check here the complete classifications of the Estrella Damm Andalucía Masters
