Ewen Ferguson claimed his third DP World Tour title and a place at The Open Championship as a closing 68 handed him a two-shot win at the BMW International Open.
The Scot entered the final day at Golfclub München Eichenried in a share of the lead with England’s Jordan Smith and the duo were engaged in an enthralling nip-and-tuck battle throughout Sunday in Germany.
A two-shot swing on the 14th proved the turning point, however, and Ferguson held his nerve down the stretch to get to 18 under and was in tears as a closing par ensured he lifted the trophy.
The victory also earns him a place at Royal Troon via the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and he moves to his highest position on the Official World Golf Ranking – potentially entering the top 100.
Jesper Svensson, Laurie Canter, Nacho Elvira and Matteo Manassero also booked their places at The Open as part of the top five players on the Race to Dubai not already exempt, while Guido Migliozzi confirmed his status as the winner of the European Swing.
Smith carded a 70 to finish at 16 under alongside Australian David Micheluzzi, who signed for a 68, two clear of England’s Matthew Southgate and Scot Connor Syme.
Belgian Matthis Besard, Swede Jens Dantorp and Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino were at 13 under, one clear of Italian Filippo Celli, England’s Ross Fisher, Frenchman Romain Langasque and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters.
South Africa’s Thomas Aiken shared 17th position on nine under after carding 72.
Ferguson has been suffering with vertigo this season and had to retire at the European Open last time we were in Germany but he bounced back with two top 30s and is now back in the winner’s circle one year and 328 days after his last win at the ISPS Handa World Invitational.
His is the first Scottish win this season and he now sits alongside some illustrious countrymen, with Sandy Lyle and Colin Montgomerie the only previous Scottish winners of this event.
“I honestly can’t believe it,” he said. “The last four holes I felt like I was in a dream, I didn’t think that this was actually happening, it was crazy I was hitting it so well and so much further than usual.
“I just wanted to do it for my dad, my mum, my sister, my brother at home. I love them so much and every shot I hit, I hit with them in mind.
“It’s such a hard game, I’ve been moaning like mad the last two months and with also being sick. The [Open] exemption with this is so much weight off my shoulders and I’m so happy. I can’t believe it.”
Smith failed to make par after missing the green at the second to hand Ferguson the solo lead and the two would go toe-to-toe the rest of the day.
A 20-footer at the 5th briefly handed Smith a share but Ferguson followed him in from around half that distance before they both birded the par-five 6th – Smith missing a 12-footer for eagle and Ferguson getting up and down.
Ferguson made a mess of the 7th, going right off the tee and left with his second, but he was soon alone at the top again as Smith missed the green at the 8th.
They both birdied the par-five 9th – this time it was Smith who got up and down and Ferguson who took two putts – and it was becoming a two-horse race.
Ferguson hit a brilliant second from an uneven lie on the 13th to leave himself a tap-in but Smith holed from eight feet and the players in third were three shots back.
The duo had been hard to separate but that would all change on the 14th as Ferguson birdied what has been the toughest hole this week from 14 feet and Smith missed a short par putt – resulting in a two-shot swing and a three-shot lead for the Scot.
Micheluzzi cut that gap to two to set the clubhouse target at 16 under with a stunning birdie-birdie-eagle finish.
The 27-year-old double-bogeyed the 2nd and while he made four birdies, he bogeyed the 14th and 15th to be level par for the day on the 16th tee.
He then holed putts from around 15 feet on the 16th and 17th and put a remarkable second to six feet on the last for an eagle and his best DP World Tour finish.
Smith then made a two-putt birdie on the last to move alongside Micheluzzi, with Syme and Southgate in a tie for fourth after rounds of 67 and 70 respectively.
– Edited report from DP World Tour website
