DUNNE MOVES TO WORLD NO.88
Week 39

Paul Dunne produced a fantastic closing 61 to hold off a late charge from Rory McIlroy and win his first European Tour title at the British Masters supported by Sky Sports.

Gavin Green of Malaysia shed his bridesmaid tag by winning his first Asian Tour title at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Sunday, and dedicated the win to his late grandfather.


South Africa’s Mathiam Keyser mounted a strong comeback with a final round two-under-par 70 to clinch his second Asian Development Tour win at the PGM Labuan Championship on Saturday.

2ND OCTOBER 2017 | 05:28 AM

European Tour - British Masters supported by Sky Sports

Paul Dunne produced a fantastic closing 61 to hold off a late charge from Rory McIlroy and win his first European Tour title at the British Masters supported by Sky Sports.

The Irishman turned in 30 to lead by three at Close House Golf Club and looked to be cruising to victory before World Number Six McIlroy birdied five of his last seven holes in a 63 to get to 17 under.

That gave Dunne a one-shot lead with two to play but a birdie on the 17th eased the pressure and the 24 year old chipped in on the last for a 20 under par total and a three-shot victory.

Swede Robert Karlsson rolled back the years to finish third on 16 under, two shots ahead of countryman David Lingmerth, local favourite Graeme Storm and German Florian Fritsch.

Dunne had a stellar amateur career, playing in the Walker Cup and leading the 2015 Open Championship after 54 holes but this is his first professional win in his 51st European Tour event after losing out in a play-off to Edoardo Molinari at the Trophée Hassan II in April.

Web.com Tour - Web.com Tour Championship

Five-time PGA TOUR winner Jonathan Byrd is heading back to the PGA TOUR after winning the Web.com Tour Championship for his first Web.com Tour victory in over 16 years. Byrd entered the final round, which was postponed to Monday after severe rain on Sunday, with a two-shot cushion but rolled in a birdie at the last for a 4-under 67 and a four-shot victory over Shawn Stefani and Sam Saunders. After his final birdie dropped on the 72nd hole, his oldest son, Jackson, raced out onto the green and bear hugged his dad with the rest of his family not far behind him.


“I think every win is special, they all stand alone, but this one is just ‑‑ this one's very gratifying,” Byrd said. “I think a lot more hard work went into getting this win and I got tired of telling my kids and my kids kept praying, ‘I want to pray for daddy to get a win.’ It's been a while. My youngest, the five‑year‑old, has never got to see me win a tournament and she got to be here today. So it's just very gratifying, very satisfying to just kind of keep labouring, keep labouring and it finally come to pass.”


At times in recent years the labour didn’t seem to match the reward. He even considered not coming to Atlantic Beach Country Club despite being just an hour and half down the road from his home in Sea Island, Georgia, because he’d missed the cut in his last two starts and wasn’t feeling like his game was where it needed to be.


But a quick pep talk from his wife on Monday sent him down I-95 and back to the PGA TOUR.

Japan Golf Tour - TOP Cup Tokai Classic

Asian Tour - Mercuries Taiwan Masters

Gavin Green of Malaysia shed his bridesmaid tag by winning his first Asian Tour title at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Sunday, and dedicated the win to his late grandfather.

After finishing runner-up three times this year, Green closed with a one-under-par 71 to pull off a stylish two-shot victory at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club.

He finished with a winning total of nine-under-par 279 to defeat his closest challengers Adilson Da Silva (69) of Brazil, Scott Vincent (70) of Zimbabwe, Keith Horne (71) of South Africa and overnight leader Juvic Pagunsan (74) of the Philippines.

Green was delighted to taste success and overcome the heartbreak in Korea where he finished second and was later informed that his grandfather, Gerald Green, passed away from a heart-attack.

He made amends at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters where he was tied at one point with Vincent and Horne. But as his competitors faded, the young Malaysian birdied 16 and closed with two pars to cruise to victory.

The big-hitting Green took home a prize purse of US$160,00 for his victory and overtook Scott Hend of Australia as the Order of Merit leader.


Challenge Tour – Challenge de Espana

Victor Perez claimed a maiden European Challenge Tour title in some style at the Challenge de España, making a hole-in-one – the first of his career – on his way to a closing round of 65 and a three-shot victory.

The Frenchman started the day two shots behind leader Jarand Ekeland Arnoy but continued his form from Saturday, when he fired his way into contention with a 61, to reach an unassailable 24 under par at Izki Golf.

In his debut Challenge Tour season, the University of New Mexico alumnus is now 14th in the Road to Oman Rankings with just four events remaining, meaning a European Tour card is now well within his grasp.

“I can’t really put this into words,” said the 25 year old. “I actually won here in Spain last year on the Alps Tour so my dad was saying how I should do well this week as well.

“I came here playing well, I’ve played well for a while, and I managed to put it all together this week – I can’t really put it into words, it’s amazing.

KPGA Korean Tour - Caido Series 2017 - Jeju Open with Hwaeng Group

Ji-Hoon Lee won the Caido Series 2017 - Jeju Open with Hwaeng Group as the final round was canceled due to bad weather and scaled down to 54 holes.


Asian Development Tour

South Africa’s Mathiam Keyser mounted a strong comeback with a final round two-under-par 70 to clinch his second Asian Development Tour win at the PGM Labuan Championship on Saturday.

Keyser’s winning total of six-under-par 282 was enough to hand him a two-shot victory over Thailand’s Sorachut Hansapiban at the Labuan International Golf Club where the RM200,000 (approximately US$44,600) ADT event was staged.

Thailand’s Panuwat Muenlek, who held a share of the overnight lead, finished in tied-third together with Sweden’s Oskar Arvidsson after he closed with a 75 for a 285 total.

Having started the week on the back of two successive victories on the Mena Tour, Keyser was quietly confident of his chances despite the course layout which the South African felt was his disadvantage.

“This is a very tight golf course and it doesn’t really favour me as I like to use the driver and driving is usually my strength,” said Keyser


Nordic Golf League - GolfUppsala Open

Lauri Ruuska won the GolfUppsala Open 2017 who started the first round with a hit track record (65 strokes, eight under par) and ended with 71 strokes (two under par) to reach a total of 15 under par.

"I was pretty nervous the last holes, but I did not want to know how I was on the scoreboard," says Lauri after the award ceremony.

The victory is Lauri's first international professional victory and it came timely. Prior to the race, he was on the verge of renewing membership of the Nordic Golf League 2018, but the victory has moved him up to a 17th place on the Nordic Golf League Ranking, giving both secured tour cards 2018 as a place in the tour finals 12-14 October.


Pro Golf Tour – Castanea Resort Championship

The amateur Max Schmitt won the Pro Golf Tour 2017 final with his third tournament victory this year and qualified directly for the European Challenge Tour.

The Golf Team Germany player dominated in Adendorf at the Castanea Resort Championship 2017 with 15 under par ahead of Max Kramer from Frankfurt and Stanislav Matus from the Czech Republic, who shared 2nd place with 11 under par.


MENA Tour – The GOLF CITIZEN Abu Dhabi Open

Kyle Barker showed his flair for the dramatic as he survived a compelling fight-back from rising English amateur Todd Dodd to win the MENA Tour’s Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open at Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday.

Starting the final round a good four shots in front, the 19-year-old South African closed with a 68, highlighted by a hole-in-one on the fourth, to reach 14-under for the tournament, beating Dodd, who carded the day’s best score of a 66, by two shots for his maiden victory since turning professional last year.

England’s Jamie Elson returned a final round 68 to finish third on nine under, one clear of compatriot Christopher Cannon who signed for a flawless 67 as Darren Clarke, the MENA Tour patron, settled for tied 26th on level-par after a final round 73.

“I am really so happy. Words can’t really express it. Feeling a proud South African at the moment, proud because the last two events on the MENA Tour were also won by a South African (MG Keyser). So, this win is a bit special too,” said Barker after receiving the winner’s trophy from Howie Roberts, general manager of Yas Links, Abu Dhabi.

“Certainly, it’s week I won’t forget in a hurry, though it wasn’t easy in the end. I think making a hole in one and holing a 50-footer for birdie on the 17th swung the issue in my favour,” he said.

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