Belgian Knockout golf: Guido Migliozzi wins second title of debut European Tour season with success in mixed matchplay and strokeplay event

Day four report

The Italian won the Kenya Open earlier this year for his first triumph on a top-tier tour and defeated Dutchman Darius Van Driel by four shots in the final in Antwerp to make it two victories in three months.

Scotsman Ewen Ferguson made it to the semi-finals but was defeated by Migliozzi before going on to beat Frenchman Gregory Havret in the play-off for third.

After 36 holes of stroke play on days one and two and the first three rounds of nine-hole medal match play on Saturday, there were eight players remaining from the field of 144 on day four.

England's Matthew Southgate was among them but he lost to Van Driel in the last eight, where Migliozzi beat Austrian Bernd Wiesberger.

Van Driel beat Havret in his semi-final but never looked likely to challenge Migliozzi in the showpiece match after a two-shot swing on the fifth.

Migliozzi had birdied the first but dropped a shot on the third before picking it back up on the fifth, where a three-putt from Van Driel produced a bogey.

Van Driel also bogeyed the next before both men made gains on the seventh and eighth, with Van Driel bogeying the last to drop to one over against Migliozzi's three under.

"I'm feeling very good," Migliozzi told Sky Sports Golf. "I managed very well this afternoon, all the shots.

"It's been great playing like this with such great players. I'm playing solid and I will try to continue this quality in the future."

In the play-off, Ferguson made birdies on the second, fourth and seventh to beat Havret by four shots.

Day three report

Ewen Ferguson and Matthew Southgate are through to the quarter-finals of the Belgian Knockout after both won three matches on Saturday in Antwerp.

The innovative event saw the field reduced to 64 after two rounds of stroke play, with day three seeing the rounds of 64, 32 and 16 contested over nine holes of medal match play.

Scot Ferguson defeated Austria's Matthias Schwab and Swede Sebastian Soderberg to set up a last-16 clash with Spaniard Nacho Elvira in which he won by two shots after making birdies on the seventh and eighth.

The former Walker Cup star will next face Malaysia's Gavin Green in the quarter-finals.

"It was a brilliant day," he told europeantour.com. "I played really good all day and just hit so many fairways and worked really well with my caddie, just trying to stay in the process of the shot and not get ahead of ourselves.

"I am really enjoying being here with the crowds and the set-up of the tournament. It has been absolutely fantastic."

Englishman Southgate defeated Swede Joakim Lagergren and Norway's Espen Kofstad before a level par total in his last-16 clash against Chile's Hugo Leon set up a quarter-final against Dutchman Darius van Driel.

In the other last-eight matches, Gregory Havret, from France, will face German Marcel Siem, while Austrian Bernd Wiesberger takes on Italy's Guido Migliozzi.

Day two report: Chris Paisley secures top seeding

Englishman Chris Paisley secured top seeding at the Belgian Knockout after producing back-to-back 65s on Thursday and Friday.

The 33-year-old carded seven birdies and a solitary bogey on day two to finish the traditional stroke play phase of the tournament on 12 under par.

Paisley leads the 64 players - 32 from each side of the draw - who progress to the weekend's knockout stages.

He told Sky Sports: "It's great to play well again. To follow up a low round with another one is great.

"You try to win every week and this week is a bit of a different one, slightly annoying that those two rounds are going to be basically wiped clean.

"I'm playing well, I enjoy match play, I enjoy the course so I've got a chance."

Early starter Anton Karlsson was a single shot behind Paisley on 11 under, with Justin Walters and Espen Kofstad in a tie for third two strokes further back.

In-form Scot Robert MacIntyre, who has finished runner-up in each of his last two starts on the European Tour, was in a share of seventh alongside Englishmen David Horsey and Oliver Wilson.

Day one report

Karlsson carded an eagle, seven birdies and a single bogey at Rinkven International Golf Club to enjoy a two-shot lead over Chris Paisley, Dean Burmester and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Karlsson is seeking a first European Tour title after graduating from the qualifying school for a second time last year, the world number 317 being part of a nine-way tie for second behind Justin Harding in Qatar in March.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, who has finished runner-up in each of his last two starts, is part of a six-way tie for fifth on five under par following an opening 66.

Belgium's Thomas Detry gave the home fans plenty to cheer with an opening 67, although tournament host and his World Cup-winning partner Thomas Pieters was 143rd in the 144-man field after a 77.

"I'm very happy," Detry said. "It wasn't that easy out there, a bit breezy and cold this morning as well, but very happy with how I played out there. I got some good vibes, I played great here last year and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

"It's quite fun to see all the little kids who haven't had a chance to watch us play at tournaments and to see them out here it's quite fun, and good for the game of golf in Belgium.

"I remember how I was looking up at Nico (Nicolas Colsaerts) when I was little, you know Nico was a bit of a god for me and now he has become a friend, so I know exactly what they are feeling. Those kids are probably pretty excited and seeing stars in their eyes, so it's quite fun."

The top 32 from each side of the draw after 36 holes of traditional stroke play will advance to the knockout stages over the weekend.

Players will then go head-to-head over nine holes of stroke play, with the player with the lowest score advancing to the next round until there is just one left standing.