The Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open was settled on the ‘Glorious 12th’ with Paul McGinley winning a tense sudden-death play-off at the fifth time of asking after the tournament was reduced to 36 holes.
Heavy rain throughout the night and morning forced the third and final round to be abandoned but with McGinley, Paul Lawrie and Daren Lee tied for the lead on six under par, 138, a play-off was required on the par three 211 yard 12th hole to decide a winner.
It was the first time in European Tour history that an event shortened to 36 holes had to be decided by a play-off.
Five other official events had been shortened to 36 holes but each time there was a clear leader at that stage and ironically one of those was Lawrie, who won his first tour title in the Open Catalonia in 1996.
Lee had the first chance to win the title after hitting a two iron pin high to ten feet but his putt came up short. Lawrie two putted from 25 feet while McGinley missed the green back right but saved his par after chipping to two feet.
Back they returned to the tee but second time around Lawrie became the first to exit, three putting from about 50 feet leaving Lee and McGinley on centre stage. Lee safely two putted from a similar distance but McGinley had the chance to win the title after a magnificent tee shot nestled six feet behind the pin. But his birdie attempt fell away from the hole.
Both players found bunkers off the tee the third time around. McGinley, out to 15 feet, missed his par putt on the right only to be given another chance when Lee lipped out from about 12 feet.
Fourth time round both players found the putting surface with Lee some 80 feet right of the pin and McGinley 35 feet right. Lee’s first putt raced six foot past but, with McGinley two putting, Lee rolled home a nerve tingling return to stay in the hunt.
But the 31 year old could not repeat the feat on the next occasion. After missing the green over the back right he was unable to save par as McGinley played a sublime bunker shot from the left hand trap to one foot to secure the title.
McGinley’s third European Tour title ended a run of five second place finishes since his last victory in the 1997 Oki Pro-Am. The 201,685 euro (£125,000) first prize lifts him to 11th in the Volvo Order of Merit and also gave his Ryder Cup hopes a huge boost as he climbs to eighth in the Ryder Cup points list ahead of Bernhard Langer and Phillip Price.
“This is the first play-off I have won after losing two before so obviously I’m thrilled,” said McGinley. “It was a huge difference between first place and second in terms of Ryder Cup points. There was a lot of pressure today and that was what drove me on.
“It was the most tension packed situation I’ve been in because a lot of pressure came from within, but it was pressure I felt I could handle and came through. I wasn’t over-awed by it and I just felt unbelievably determined to do it.
“Fortunately it worked out for me. As my wife said to me on the phone before I went out, it’s a bit like penalty kicks in football. Anything can happen and she is so right. Fortunately it fell for me.
“Everybody know how much I want to play in the Ryder Cup. Everybody knows what position I have been in and I feel very fulfilled that I’ve done what I set out to do, not 100% yet. I still have to finish the job off but I have broken the back of it now.”
Lawrie was understandably disappointed to bow out at the second extra hole but can take some encouragement with him to the US PGA Championship next week after proving his long game is right on song.
“It was typical of the whole week the way I finished with three putts,” he said. “I played fantastic but putted as bad as you can putt. If I had putted half decent I would have been six or seven shots better.
“But it boosts my confidence for the US PGA the way I played this week. I played fantastic tee to green and, like I say I should have won, but maybe we can all say that. Hopefully next week I can go one better.”
Lee was playing his first European Tour play-off and had a couple of chances to win his first European Tour title but it was not to be. “It was nice to have the chance to win but that is the way it goes. You try your best but sometimes it is not your day.”
With the final round abandoned, the Welsh duo of Jamie Donaldson and Mark Pilkington shared fourth place with Anders Forsbrand.
Due to the event being reduced to 36 holes only 75% of the prize money was paid out. But as a gesture of goodwill, Celtic Manor Resort kindly offered to pay £1,000 to every professional in the field due to the inconvenience caused and to assist with expenses. The money does not count for Volvo Order of Merit purposes or other ranking lists.
Mike Stewart, Tournament Director, said: “The European Tour would like to acknowledge and applaud this magnificent and unprecedented gesture.”
