Paul Casey took a one shot lead into the back nine during an exciting final round at the KLM Open.
Four behind leader Romain Wattel overnight despite equalling the course record with a remarkable 62 at Kennemer Golf & Country Club on Saturday, Casey raced to the turn in 32.
At 14 under par he was one ahead of Wattel, as the Frenchman’s bid for a first European Tour title stumbled with an outward 37 that did not contain a birdie.
The 23 year old Wattel held an overnight lead of three shots after a third round 64, but despite nearest challenger Richie Ramsay bogeying two of his first three holes, other players swiftly closed in.
Most prominently, 12-time European Tour winner Casey got up-and-down from the edge of the green at the long second for birdie and then hit his tee shot at the par three next to tap-in range.
Another Englishman, Andy Sullivan, had birdies from five feet at the second and third.
Wattel opened with a run of six straight pars, which allowed Casey and Sullivan to get within one.
Three-time Ryder Cupper Casey holed a winding 15 foot putt at the fifth and would have tied for the lead had he not three putted the six after driving the green, while former Walker Cup star Sullivan left himself a tap-in at the sixth and found the green at the long seventh in two to set-up another simple birdie.
Wattel found trouble off the tee at the long seventh and dropped a shot, allowing Casey to leapfrog him with a birdie on the same hole, but Sullivan appeared to have fallen by the wayside as he followed a bogey at the eighth with a double at the ninth after finding trees.
Wattel dropped a second shot of the day at the 11th but got it straight back at the long 12th, where Casey did well to save par after a wayward drive.
Three-time tournament winner Simon Dyson had also mounted a dramatic late charge – four birdies in six holes from the ninth taking him to 12 under and only two behind.
Sullivan’s challenge suddenly regained trajectory when he aced the 15th – and his title bid wasn’t the only thing taking off, with the prize for a hole-in-one there a trip into space.
Wattel had bogeyed the 13th after a poor second, leaving the Frenchman alongside English trio Dyson, Sullivan and Eddie Pepperell on 12 under.
