Hansen nips Rose in play-off
ANDERS Hansen claimed an unexpected victory in the BMW PGA Championship on Wentworth’s West Course outside London overnight (AEST).
The Dane, who also won the title five years ago, sealed his second victory on the European PGA Tour with a five-metre putt on the first play-off hole after he and Justin Rose had tied on 280, eight under par, after 72 holes.
“I’ve not been quite able to get it all together, but yesterday the greens got a little moist and that helped,'’ Hansen, whose final-round 69 lifted him into contention, said.
“I felt pretty calm before the play-off.
“In the end I made the putt and Justin didn’t, but it felt good all the way.”
Rose and Hansen found themselves back on the 18th tee for the first play-off hole after a volatile final round in which the lead changed hands on more than a dozen occasions.
The Englishman recovered from a pushed drive to pitch within three metres of the hole, but he was unable to match Hansen’s birdie putt.
“The first time I won this tournament, I came into it playing well,” Hansen said.
“This year I haven’t played great, but the last two weeks I have worked hard trying to get it right, so this means more to me than the first time.
“Last weekend I played a club competition in Denmark.
“Thirty-six holes each day, 72 over the weekend. I played all of the first day and wasn’t going to play again on the Sunday, but I did and then felt pretty done in. But that showed the effort I’ve put into getting back on track.”
Rose, who is easing himself back into condition after struggling to overcome back problems, seemed momentarily stunned by his defeat.
“It’s disappointing to come that close,” Rose said.
“It’s over so quickly but that’s what sudden death is all about I guess.
“I’m pleased to play so well at a tournament I came to and loved as a kid, and it would have been a dream of mine, back in the day, to be there in the mix.”
Richard Sterne from South Africa narrowly missed the play-off after a birdie putt on the 17th spun out of the hole, leaving him a stroke behind Hansen and Rose.
The Pretorian, joint runner-up in the Johnnie Walker Classic in March, was joined at seven under by Vijay Singh, whose final-round 66 was his best score of the tournament.
“I didn’t get off to the best of starts,” Sterne said.
“I came back with birdies on four and five, but I hit a few bad tee shots at the wrong time.
“I didn’t play that well today, but I know if I get my game together I can win these things.”
Sterne was left to rue his missed birdie on the 17th green.
“I thought it was going in,” he said.
“I felt good over it and it was a big disappointment.”
Paul Broadhurst and Ross Fisher, both from England, the joint leaders at 10-under par on the final morning of the championship, each endured a catastrophic day.
Fisher’s run of five successive bogeys in the opening five holes saw him plummet from the leader board with an 84, while Broadhurst, ill at ease in the steady rain, tumbled out of contention in much the same way, to card an eight-over 80.
Agence France-Presse