Nacho Elvira won his second DP World Tour title as he held off the challenge of Thomas Pieters at the Soudal Open, securing an 80/1 winning selection for golf expert Ben Coley.
Elvira – nominated in Sporting Life's pre-tournament preview here – entered the final round in Belgium with a four-shot lead but had to battle to a level-par 71 that left the door open to the chasing pack.
Home favourite Pieters, who joined LIV Golf last year, led the charge with a 66 but came up one shot short as Elvira held his nerve down the stretch to finish at 18 under.
Dane Niklas Norgaard had a putt on the last to force a play-off but missed from 12 feet to card a 68, a score matched by Frenchman Romain Langasque as the pair finished at 17 under alongside Pieters.
“I’m very happy,” said Elvira. “I was a little bit emotional because I know all the hard work that I put in that sometimes doesn’t show. I couldn’t ask for anything better.
“I wasn’t feeling comfortable off the tee today, my driving was a little bit off and you really need to hit it straight here.
“It was all hard because I knew I wasn’t hitting it good but I tried to keep it in play and I tried to hold on to it.”
2024 still owes me something less stressful but relieved to get off the cold list with an overdue winner. Particularly gratifying in an event where Elvira was my shortest priced selection at 80/1. Thanks for not calling me names and for still reading.
— Ben Coley (@BenColeyGolf) May 26, 2024
Elvira led by five after a birdie on the first but would only add one more at the 11th, dropping shots at the seventh and 10th.
Pieters – who represented Europe in a losing effort in 2016 – made six birdies and a single bogey but was left to rue a poor tee-shot at the 17th that meant he could not take advantage of the par five.
England’s Joe Dean, who was working as a delivery driver for Morrisons in February, finished two shots off the lead alongside countryman Matthew Jordan.
