SHANGHAI — Swede Kristoffer Broberg won his first European Tour title prevailing over playing partner Patrick Reed in a dramatic playoff at the BMW Masters here Sunday.
American Reed parred the first extra hole and could only watch as Broberg made a birdie three to seal an emotion victory that left him teary-eyed on the 18th green at the Lake Malaren Golf Club.
“That’s a dream come true. I’ve worked so hard all my life for this. I have no words,” said the 29-yer-old from Stockholm who had carded a four-under-par 68 that left him and Reed (67) with identical 72-hole totals of 17-under 271.
The $7 million tournament, the penultimate in the European Tour season, witnessed its second consecutive play-off following Marcel Siem’s dramatic chip-in win last year.
South Korean An Byeong-hun (70) and overnight Thai leader Thongchai Jaidee (71) both narrowly missed putts on the final green to make the playoff. They finished one back alongside Swede Henrik Stenson (68) and Dane Lucas Bjerregaard (70).
Reed picked up four shots in four holes from the 13th, including holing from the bunker for an eagle at the 15th, to take a one-shot lead onto the 17th where he relinquished the advantage with a bogey four.
“Unfortunately in the playoff (I) left the bunker shot short which I didn’t think was possible,” Reed, who won the 2014 WGC-Cadillac Championship said after his agonizing loss.
Justin Rose signed off with a 67 to share seventh place with fellow Englishman Paul Casey (69) at 15-under.
France’s Julien Quesne and Dane Soren Kjeldsen (64), who shot the low round of the day, finished a further one shot back.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who did not play here, retained his Race to Dubai lead after closest challenger Danny Willett finished tied 28th at seven-under to close the gap to 1,613 points ahead of next week’s finale in the UAE.
Fathauer leads in Mexico
American journeyman Derek Fathauer played flawless golf to grab the first 54-hole lead of his PGA Tour career in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico Saturday.
The 29-year-old carded a bogey-free, five-under 66 at the El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen to move one shot ahead of compatriot Jason Bohn (65).
Overnight leader Graeme McDowell (70) and former British Open champion Justin Leonard (67) were among a group of four players three strokes off the lead.
Fathauer birdied the third, fifth, seventh and ninth holes to reach the turn with a two-stroke lead.
He then reached five-under for the day after a birdie at the par-five 13th.
McDowell made a poor start as he followed a double-bogey at the opening hole with a bogey at the second.
But the Northern Irishman recovered nicely with four birdies over a seven-hole stretch before bogeying the par-five 13th.
The 2010 US Open champion then birdied his penultimate hole to put himself in contention for his first PGA Tour win since 2013.
Bohn was cruising along with four birdies on his front nine and then followed a birdie at the 12th with an eagle at the par-five 13th before a lightning delay halted play for about 90 minutes. — Agencies
