Renato Paratore kept his cool in breezy conditions to win his win his second European Tour title at the 2020 Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood.
South Africa’s Justin Harding was third as the European Tour made its full return after just over four months in hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Italy’s Paratore entered the final day at Close House Golf Club with a one shot lead was only briefly caught in tough, windy conditions in the north east of England, carding a 69 to finish at 18 under, three shots ahead of Dane Rasmus Højgaard.
Paratore lost out in a play-off to Højgaard at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open earlier this season but never looked like being caught by the 19-year-old as he added to the Nordea Masters title he won in 2017.
Harding birdied three and five but turned level for the day after his second drop at the ninth.
A number of half chances, including from short range at the 10th, slipped away as Harding failed to make in-roads into Paratore’s lead. A bogey at the tough par 3 14th saw his chances of victory drift further away before he was overtaken by Højgaard late in the afternoon.
