Daniel Gavins survives a late scare to claim his second DP World Tour title… as the Englishman fires twice into the water on the 18th before sealing the win with a 25-foot putt
- Daniel Gavins narrowly sealed his second DP World Tour title with a 25-foot putt
- The Englishman found the water twice on the 18th as he almost blew his lead
- His closest competitor, Zander Lombard, missed a putt for eagle on the 18th
Daniel Gavins survived a final-hole meltdown to claim his second DP World Tour title in the most dramatic of circumstances at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on Sunday.
The Englishman stepped on to the 18th tee with a two-shot lead but appeared to blow his chances after he twice fired into the water, only to then hole a 25-foot putt for double bogey that gave him victory by a single stroke over Alexander Bjork and Zander Lombard.
‘I’m pretty speechless to be honest,’ said the 31-year-old, who pocketed £260,000, 18 months on from his maiden Tour win. His triumph in the UAE was all the more surprising because Gavins had been unable to have a practice round ahead of the tournament owing to a back injury.
‘I’ve been struggling off the tee the last two weeks and it’s not a very nice tee shot to have (on 18), even with a two-shot lead.
‘I’d put two in the water and I thought that’s one way to end the tournament. I sunk the putt and went to the back of the green and saw that I was actually winning still. It was kind of a big shock.’
Daniel Gavins claimed his second DP World Tour title after sinking a 25-foot putt to seal victory
Gavins almost blew his chance to win after finding the water twice on the very last hole
Gavins had commenced his final round two behind Lombard and immediately bogeyed the first, before going on a tear of six birdies in seven holes.
He played the next nine in even par, which put him two clear of Bjork in the group ahead and four in front of Lombard, playing behind.
Cue the drama at the par-five 18th, which started with a Gavins drive into water that was exacerbated by him not knowing Bjork had three-putted to a bogey on the last.
Believing he was now chasing a play-off, Gavins opted against laying up from 286 yards and dumped another shot in the water, before pitching to 25 feet.
With a superb clutch putt, his double bogey took him to 17-under-par – enough to win after Lombard later narrowly missed his putt for eagle.
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