Marcel Siem completed a remarkable comeback from injury as he defeated Tom McKibbin in the Italian Open qualifier.
Playing in his fourth tournament since returning from hip surgery, the 43-year-old German holed a crucial birdie putt on the final hole to force a playoff against McKibbin, 21, who set the clubhouse target full time. two and a half hours earlier behind his thumb under the 65th section.
Siem was cruising after carding three birdies on the front nine at Adriatic Golf Club Cervia, reaching 13 under par, but a four-shot drop on the back nine saw him trail the Northern Irishman by one as he tied for 18th. . He hit his way on the 393-yard par-4 hole to 22 feet and holed the birdie putt to post a level-par 71, matching McKibbin's total of 10-under-par.
On the first extra hole, both found the green, but McKibbin's birdie slipped past the cup, opening the door for Siem. The German made no mistake as he rolled to his second win in just over a year, following his Indian Open success last February.
Siem, who won his sixth European Tour title, 20 years after his debut, said: “It was really tough. Everyone was making bogeys and doubles, as the wind was really blowing and the pins were put in the corners. All the holes were in the shade, it was really hard to read the putts. Holing that putt on 18 was one of the best moments of my career, and to do it again in a playoff was great.
“I love this game and these times, I work hard for them. When you are awarded like this, it is a very special moment. I think it is the second oldest cup in Europe. So I have the French Open and this one now, I'm proud of that. “
There was consolation for McKibbin as his runner-up finish earned a spot in The 152nd Open as part of the Open Qualifying Series. He will be joined at Royal Troon by Sean Crocker of the United States, who carded 68 on nine under par and a third.
Joining Crocker in that number was Jannik De Bruyn of Germany, who issued 69 cards. Frenchman Antoine Rozner squandered his chance to win by dropping five shots in the space of five holes from the 13th to the 17th, finishing tied for fifth. Andrea Pavan, Adri Arnaus, James Nicholas and Shubhankar Sharma.
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