American John Catlin became the first wire-to-wire winner at Real Club Valderrama when he won the Andalucia Masters on Sunday.
In an extraordinary week in Spain, Catlin claimed a one-shot victory by finishing the final round on +2 as no player managed to conclude the event under par and he was also the only player in the field to break par in both the opening and second rounds.
Catlin got stuck in a battle with Martin Kaymer as the pair battled it out until the final hole with South Africa’s Justin Harding also firmly in the mix throughout the final day’s action.
In the end, Catlin and Kaymer were all square heading into the 18th hole but the German could only manage a bogey as Catlin kept his cool for a par to seal his maiden European Tour victory.
John Catlin wins the #ValderramaMasters! ? pic.twitter.com/WNVnOsjZBP
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) September 6, 2020
The tough conditions and firm greens continued to cause the players major problems over the course of the four rounds.
Catlin, who failed to make a birdie in Sunday’s final round, settled the day with a four-over-par 75, while Kaymer rolled in three birdies in his display but only managed a three-over 74.
A nasty double bogey on the final hole ultimately killed Harding’s chances of winning or possibly forcing a playoff as he finished two strokes behind the winner in T3.
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Wilco Nienaber was also knocking on the door at certain stages on Sunday and in the end concluded his week in T6 as his solid recent form on Tour continues.
The players will now head to the Portugal Masters this coming week to do battle at the Victoria Clube de Golfe.
