Scottish Open 2019: Bernd Wiesberger secures title with play-off win
- Published
Bernd Wiesberger had already qualified for the Open Championship as Irish Open joint runner-up
Scottish Open final leaderboard |
|---|
-22 B Hebert (Fra), B Wiesberger (Aut); -20 R Langasque (Fra); -19 H Stenson (Swe), N Bertasio (Ita), A Johnston (Eng), A Putnam (USA), A Pavea (Ita); -18 J Donaldson (Wal), L SLattery (Eng), J Thomas (USA), R Cabrera (Spa), G Coetzee (RSA) |
Selected others: -17 M Wallace, M Fitzpatrick, T Hatton, I Poulter (Eng), E van Rooyen (RSA); -15 C Hill, S Jamieson (Sco); -14 A Sullivan (Eng); -13 R McIlroy (NI), Ramsay (Sco), D Horsey (Eng); -12 G Forrest (Sco), T Lewis (Eng) |
Bernd Wiesberger won the Scottish Open to secure a sixth European Tour title after beating Benjamin Hebert in a play-off at The Renaissance Club.
Overnight leader Wiesberger was two under par for the day and 22 under overall with France's Hebert having finished with a nine-under round of 62.
But the Austrian triumphed in the third sudden death hole at the 18th.
Hebert, England's Andrew Johnston and Italian Nino Bertasio qualify for the Open after finishing in the top 10.
But Johnston's countryman Lee Slattery and Welshman Jamie Donaldson miss out on places at Royal Portrush after finishing one shot further behind.
Northern Ireland's four-time major winner Rory McIlroy finished tied for 34th after a two-under 69 took him to 13 under.
Calum Hill and Scott Jamieson finished best out of the 15 home favourites, both carding five-under par rounds of 66 on Sunday to both finish on 15 under, which was a share of 26th place.
That will give Hill a welcome confidence and financial boost, given the Kinross player normally competes in the Challenge Tour and only got in the field this week because of coming through a qualifier.
On a day when Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in a final-set tie-break to win Wimbledon and England defeated New Zealand in a dramatic sudden-death super over in the Men's Cricket World Cup final, there was another tense sporting finish in North Berwick as Wiesberger and Hebert sized up the 18th hole.
Hebert had the chance to win with a birdie after Wiesberger had made par but the Frenchman missed his initial putt. When they played the 18th again, Hebert passed up two further opportunities to win as the pair bogeyed.
And, at the third time of asking, Hebert missed another crucial putt to allow Wiesberger to make par and secure victory.
"That was something different," said Wiesberger of the £5.5m event. "I've got to be grateful for how the week turned out.
"Benjamin had me on the first two play-off holes and that's somehow how golf goes. He's had a great week. I'm very appreciative of now standing here winning this tournament.
"I knew it was going to be the biggest tournament that I've been in a position to win, maybe just together with the PGA Championship a couple of years ago.
"I didn't hit my iron shots too well and struggled a little bit. I had to dig deep. You get your reward every now and then.
"I can't be in better spirits. I'm really looking forward to teeing it up in Portrush. We are starting all at zero next week at Portrush."
Hebert congratulates Wiesberger after their protracted play-off