KLM Open 2019: Sergio Garcia proves too strong in Amsterdam

Leaderboard

-18 Garcia

-17 Hojgaard

-15 Wallace

-14 Morrison

Round four report

Sergio Garcia was forced to call on all of his vast experience to win the KLM Open by one shot in Amsterdam.

The Spaniard led by two shots at the fifth and seemed in control, only to find himself trailing playing partner Callum Shinkwin by one shot by the seventh following successive bogeys on a mixed front nine at The International.

However, a double bogey at the 10th by the Englishman gave Garcia an opening as he recorded three birdies and a bogey to card a total of 18 under par and hold off rising Danish star Nicolai Hojgaard for his 16th European Tour title.

Matt Wallace was third at 15 under par, while fellow Englishman James Morrison was one shot further back as Garcia became the first Spanish winner of the KLM Open since Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano in 2005.

"It was honestly amazing to have my brother, Angie my wife and little Azalea [Garcia's daughter] here, it's very special," Garcia told europeantour.com.

"Amazing. We had a great week and great to win again. I played well all week under pressure. It wasn't easy, there were a couple of tough moments today but I hung on tough, that's the most important thing.

"I want to thank all my sponsors for their support and everything they do for me and the year just got a little bit better."

The 2017 Masters champion look to have sealed victory with a stunning approach from the rough at the 16th, despite having his feet in the bunker for the awkward second shot to dial in to five feet.

The birdie ensured a three-shot lead over Hojgaard but a poor tee-shot at the 17th marked Garcia's only bogey on the back nine all week to drop to 18 under par just as the Dane got on the par-five last in two shots.

The 18-year-old Hojgaard slid his eagle putt by the hole to finish at 17 under before Garcia carded the par he needed to write his name alongside fellow Spaniards Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal as a KLM Open champion.

Round three report

Sergio Garcia and Callum Shinkwin will battle it out on the final day after the pair both shot 66 to take a two-shot lead after round three at the KLM Open.

The 15 time European Tour winner and the 26-year-old Englishman were together in the penultimate group, but the pair carded only one bogey between them as they surged to the top of the leaderboard at 15 under par.

"I'm really pleased," Garcia told the European Tour website. "It helps when you are swinging nicely, but it's not easy. It is never easy. Sometimes we make it look like that but it was tricky, there were a couple of holes where the wind screwed me a little bit and hit two good shots at nine and ten and didn't get anything out of it. I made a great up and down at ten to keep my run going and then another good finish with a birdie at 17th and 18th."

The Spaniard was blemish free as he carded a six under 66, while Shinkwin matched the European Ryder Cup star’s score with seven birdies and one dropped shot at The International.

"I've been there a few times this year already, been there in the past as well but haven't quite finished it off but hopefully what I do today will help me in the long run," said Shinkwin.

"I was matching Sergio shot for shot. As much as everyone says don't watch your playing partner, you have to watch your playing partner no matter who it is, and Sergio was hitting his straight and was hitting close. If I matched him, I was doing well."

The duo will be paired together once again for the final round, starting two shots ahead of Danish rising star Nicolai Højgaard, who is making just third European Tour start in Amsterdam.

The 18-year-old carded six birdies and a bogey to sit alone in third at 13 under, one shot ahead of Englishman James Morrison.

Matt Wallace set the clubhouse target with a stunning course record of 63 courtesy of ten birdies and one bogey to shoot up to 11 under and was later joined by fellow Englishmen Steven Brown and Matthew Southgate.

Swede Joakim Lagegren was in eighth at ten under, while 2016 Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters, Dane Jeff Winther, South African George Coetzee, Chile’s Hugo Leon, Spaniard Eduardo De La Riva and home favourite Wil Besseling were one shot further back.

Round two report

Scott Jamieson produced a stunning seven-under-par 65 to claim a two-shot after the second round at the KLM Open.

The Scot has won only once on the European Tour, back in 2013 at the Nelson Mandela Championship, but surged to the summit courtesy of seven birdies to sit at 11 under par in Amsterdam.

Sergio Garcia leads the chasing pack at The International, carding six birdies and a bogey in his five-under-par 67 to join English trio James Morrison, Callum Shinkwin and Matthew Southgate at nine under.

Another Englishman Sam Horsfield mixed eight birdies, five bogeys and five pars in his roller coaster 69 to reach eight under alongside 18-year-old Dane Nicolai Hojgaard.

"It was a great day." Jamieson told europeantour.com. "I was really good with my irons yesterday but wasn't so good off the tee, and today I was better off the tee and equally as good with my irons.

"I think it is a second shot golf course for sure. You just need to pick the right shot and execute it. I don't think it is a course you can overpower so hopefully I can think my way around it."

Morrison set the clubhouse target on Friday morning courtesy of two eagles in the space of four holes, as well as five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey in an entertaining 67.

Overnight leader Shinkwin carded four birdies in 14 holes to move back ahead and reach 10 under, only to register two bogeys - including a shoehorn par putt at the last - and a gain in his final four holes to squander the solo lead before Jamieson powered to the top.

Garcia moved to within one shot of Morrison and Shinkwin thanks to birdies at the first, seventh, eighth, 14th and 15th after dropping a shot at the sixth.

The Spaniard produced a remarkable par save at the 17th with a sublime chip to close range and hit an equally impressive second shot at the par-five last, but his eagle putt rolled up inches short - which would have taken him to second.

Southgate holed six birdies and two bogeys to join Garcia, Morrison and Shinkwin in a tie for second, one shot ahead of Horsfield and Hojgaard.

Round one report

Callum Shinkwin carded a superb 66 to earn a one-shot advantage after the first round of KLM Open in Amsterdam.

The Englishman is in danger of losing his playing privileges following a stop-start campaign but belied his 446th place in the world rankings to take advantage of ideal scoring conditions in the morning to finish on six under par at The International.

The 26-year-old was forced to withdraw at the Omega European Masters last month due to food poisoning before retiring during the second round of last week's Porsche European Open with a back injury and needs some good results to ensure another season on the European Tour.

However, Shinkwin eased his pain when he reached the turn in 32, courtesy of an eagle, three birdies and one dropped shot, before a blemish-free back nine - which included two more gains - helped him to the top of the leaderboard.

"My golf as of late has not been great as has my health as well," Shinkwin told europeantour.com. "But the golf is still not there, still very uncomfortable, but I managed to turn it round today and shoot a good round of 66.

"I'm just working hard and if I'm feeling uncomfortable then that means I'm doing the right things."

English trio Chris Paisley, Matthew Southgate and Sam Horsfield, Scotland's Marc Warren, Malaysian Gavin Green, Swede Per Langfors and 18-year-old Dane Nicolai Hojgaard were in the seven-strong chasing pack following rounds of five-under-par 67.

Sergio Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion and 15-time European Tour winner, led another group of seven players which sit one shot further adrift at the 100th edition of the KLM Open, with only James Morrison threatening the leaderboard from the afternoon starters to sit at four under.

Defending champion Wu Ashun remained in contention at three under par alongside two-time tournament winner Joost Luiten, who was three over after nine holes but carded six birdies on his back nine to join the Chinese player and eight others for a round of 69.