Trailing by two pictures with 4 holes to play on the Genesis Championship, Ben An wanted a spark.
He then pulled off one of many pictures of the 12 months.
This isn’t essentially the kind of shot you’d attempt at house, a 290-yard driver off the deck – a moist deck – with largely carry, and water and a few rocks guarding a lot of the left aspect of Jack Nicklaus Golf Membership’s par-5 fifteenth gap. However An, with time operating out on Sunday in Incheon, South Korea, needed to take the possibility in entrance of his house followers.
“It is a large gamble right here,” stated the TV announcer as An pulled the membership again.
When the ball landed on the entrance of the elevated inexperienced and rolled about 9 toes previous earlier than settling, the identical announcer added, “Are you kidding me?”
“Nobody noticed that coming, other than him,” added the published’s analyst.
An would two-putt for birdie, certainly one of three birdies in his remaining 4 holes to shine off a 5-under 67 and get into the clubhouse at 17 beneath. Tom Kim, who was co-leading on the time of An’s D.O.D. masterpiece, lipped out an 8-foot birdie putt on the final that may’ve received him the event outright.
Kim’s misfortune continued in additional holes as he bogeyed the par-5 18th, giving An two putts from brief distance to win his second DP World Tour title – and first for the reason that 2015 BMW PGA Championship. He solely wanted one.
“All I attempted to do is present some nice golf in entrance of the house followers; it’s been some time since I’ve performed in entrance of them,” An stated. “It’s a little bit of a disgrace that Tom had a little bit of mess there, but it surely’s been an excellent event for me, I’ve actually loved it. There was a variety of followers on the market supporting me and Tom and I really feel like we had an excellent battle at present. I simply acquired a little bit bit fortunate to be a winner on the market at present I feel.
“It’s a candy ending for this 12 months.”
An now has six worldwide top-10s this 12 months, his finest mark since 2018, and can rise to No. 27 within the Official World Golf Rating, simply 4 spots shy of his career-best rating.
Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, who performed collegiately at UCF, completed third, a shot again, adopted by France’s Antoine Rozner in fourth and Italy’s Guido Migliozzi in fifth. Gouveia jumped 54 spots within the Race to Dubai, and although at No. 100 in factors, he fell wanting the highest 70, which can qualify for subsequent week’s playoff opener, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, he did crack the highest 114 to maintain his DPWT card for subsequent 12 months.
“I’m clearly over the moon simply to maintain my rights for subsequent 12 months, it’s unbelievable,” Gouveia stated. “I used to be making an attempt to win the event, however on the identical time, the previous couple of holes I knew what my place was so a mixture of feelings however so glad, over the moon.”
Marco Penge, No. 115 in factors to start out the week, made the minimize on the quantity after a Thirty sixth-hole birdie earlier than taking pictures 67 on Sunday to tied for twenty second and preserve his card as nicely.
“As we speak was most likely the most effective I’ve performed all 12 months actually,” Penge stated. “To play the best way I did at present beneath the stress that I used to be beneath, yeah, fairly speechless in the mean time. Simply over the moon that it’s accomplished to be sincere. I can’t wait to get house and spend a while with my spouse and son. My son was born 4 and a half months in the past, and I really feel like I’ve solely been with him for a couple of week, so these instances are value it.”
South Africa’s Casey Jarvis and Italy’s Francesco Laporta each tied for sixth and moved inside the highest 70, as Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard and Brandon Stone, who every tied for ninth.
