D+D Real Czech Masters: Thomas Pieters wins fourth European Tour title

Leaderboard

-19 Pieters

-18 Arnaus

-16 Pavan, Horsfield

-15 Karlberg, Leon

Day four report

Belgium's Thomas Pieters breathed a sigh of relief after ending his three-year wait for a fourth European Tour title by winning the D+D Real Czech Masters for the second time in five years.

Pieters took a one-shot lead into the final round at Albatross Golf Resort in Prague and carded a closing 69 to finish 19 under par, a shot ahead of playing partner Adri Arnaus, the Spanish rookie's third runners-up finish this season.

England's Sam Horsfield was two strokes further back alongside defending champion Andrea Pavan, who surged through the field with a final round of 65, the joint-lowest score of the day.

Pieters partnered Thomas Detry to victory in the World Cup in Melbourne last year but had not won an individual event since 2016, the year he won a record four points on his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine.

"I'm relieved. It's been a long time," Pieters said. "It feels good to win again. I never doubted myself but it's just been a long road of not feeling that great with the golf swing. It feels good to get back on track again and get another win.

"It's difficult when everybody says you should be winning two or three times a year. It's always nice to hear that but it's almost a negative sometimes because I always felt like I was underachieving, but hopefully, there's many more like this.

"I felt like I was in control today, almost the whole day, and I kind of did my own thing."

Pieters held a four-shot lead after going to the turn in 33 and picking up a fifth birdie of the day on the 12th but saw his advantage halved when he bogeyed the 16th and Arnaus made birdie.

Arnaus also birdied the 18th to ensure Pieters could not relax entirely but the 27-year-old safely holed his par putt from two feet.

"I'm really happy I got it done," Pieters added. "What a great last three holes by Adri. Made that two-footer a bit nervy at the end.

"I'm pretty proud of myself the way I handled 15, I found myself in a really tough spot (after a wayward drive) and did the grown-up thing and took a drop and still made par. As I said the last two days I'm still learning."

Day three report

Former champion Thomas Pieters will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the D+D Real Czech Masters after posting a battling 66 on Saturday.

The 2015 winner produced a round of two halves on day three, making one bogey and five birdies in his first seven holes - including four on the spin from the fourth - before tapping in for an eagle at the long ninth to hit the front.

Despite beginning his back nine with a bogey after finding the thick rough and then making seven straight pars, Pieters was still in a share of the lead as he stood at the 18th tee.

And he closed his round with a delightful birdie from around 12 feet to get to 16 under par and take the outright lead.

Spaniard Adri Arnaus was Pieters' nearest challenger on 15 under after making seven birdies in his sparkling third-round 65.

After his round, Pieters told the European Tour's website: "I think the key to that front nine was the driving. I hit it really far and straight so that was presenting a lot of birdie opportunities and a lot of short clubs into the holes.

"To convert the putt on nine after a wonderful six iron in was great and it's the closest I've come to a two on a par five.

"I struggled a bit on the back nine. I stayed patient, though, and got a nice birdie to finish."

Swede Robert Karlsson, 49, and halfway leader Edoardo Molinari were among the players in a tie for third on 14 under.

Meanwhile, Soomin Lee was disqualified on Saturday afternoon after his caddie failed to remove the flagstick on the 11th green, having been instructed by Lee - who was on seven under par - to attend it.

A statement from the tournament's chief referee Kevin Feeney read: "Under Rule 13.2a, the player may make a stroke with the flagstick in the hole, but, if the player wishes for it to be attended, the flagstick must be removed after the stroke is made. As the flagstick was deliberately not removed and the ball holed, Rule 11.2c applies.

"Under Rule 11.2c (2), if the stroke is made from the putting green, the stroke does not count and the original ball or another ball must be replaced on its original spot. (See Rule 14.2). This would have carried a penalty of two strokes.

"As the player did not fulfil the provisions of 11.2c before playing from the next teeing ground, he is disqualified under Rule 3.3c (failure to hole out)."

Day two report

Italy's Edoardo Molinari will take a two-shot lead into the third round of the D+D Real Czech Masters after another flawless performance in Prague.

Molinari carded a second consecutive 66 for a halfway total of 12 under par and the former Ryder Cup player has yet to drop a single shot at Albatross Golf Resort as he seeks a fourth European Tour title.

Former champion Thomas Pieters is Molinari's nearest challenger on 10 under following a second straight 67, with Sweden's Robert Karlsson, Austrian Matthias Schwab, England's Sam Horsfield and Chile's Hugo Leon a shot further back.

"I'm definitely playing differently on the course, I'm giving myself lots of chances," said Molinari, who won twice in Scotland in 2010 to earn a Ryder Cup wild card and also won the Trophee Hassan II in 2017.

"Even today I could have made a few putts more and it's just the way it is at the minute. I'm playing very consistently, the equipment change helped me a lot at the beginning of the year.

"At the moment I'm very comfortable, I'm enjoying playing golf. I've been going through a tough few years so at the minute I'm just really enjoying myself on the golf course. I'm playing well so life is good at the minute."

Pieters, who won his maiden title in Prague four years ago but has not recorded an individual victory since 2016, carded two birdies and 13 pars in his first 15 holes before picking up shots on the 16th, 17th and 18th.

"On 15 I told my caddie I was a bit bored today, I was playing well but I wasn't making anything," the Belgian told Sky Sports. "I was two under and a few back so it was nice to finish that way."

Karlsson is just 18 days away from celebrating his 50th birthday and admits he has one eye on the lucrative seniors circuit, but the Ryder Cup vice-captain is firmly in contention for a 12th European Tour title and a first since 2010.

"It was very nice," Karlsson said. "I've been working hard this summer and I've been doing good rounds here and there but haven't put it together, so it's nice to put at least two together.

"I'm here so I want to play good here but at the same time yes, Tour school at the end of the year for Champions Tour (is on my mind).

"I've given myself a little bit more slack this year, not pushing too hard for the results and looked a little bit more long-term and want to play really well at the end of the season coming into Tour school in a good frame of mind."

Scotland's Liam Johnston, England's Lee Slattery and defending champion Andrea Pavan were part of a seven-strong group on eight under par, four shots off the lead.

Day one report

Course specialist Lee Slattery carded an opening 65 to lie a shot off leader Gavin Green after the first round of the D+D Real Czech Masters.

Slattery, who finished second at Albatross Golf Resort in 2017 and fourth last year, fired an eagle and six birdies to finish seven under par alongside South Africa's Erik van Rooyen.

Malaysia's Green held the lead on eight under after carding eight birdies in the first 12 holes and recovering from a bogey on the 13th with a birdie on the last.

Green also carded a 64 in the first round last year and went on to finish third behind Italy's Andrea Pavan, who began the defence of his title with a 68.

Slattery is seeking a third European Tour title but was surprised to shoot such a good score after an indifferent start.

"I played the first four holes today so badly, I played them like a 15-handicapper," Slattery told Sky Sports. "It was a bit of a surprise to play that well on the back nine after not playing great on the front nine.

"It was quite wet out there, it was kind of like playing target golf. This place can get quite fast and fiery and it has been over the years but today it was a different golf course.

"It played quite long but you just throw darts at the pins, I quite enjoyed it."

Austria's Bernd Wiesberger, who missed seven months of last season after undergoing wrist surgery, is three shots off the lead as he chases a third victory in his last eight events.

"I try not to make whatever happens out here too dependent on how I feel off the golf course and in my life but I certainly appreciate what has happened the last couple of weeks," Wiesberger said after his 67.

"I try to feed off it and not take it for granted either. Keep working and try to keep producing good scores and just enjoy myself out there.

"Even though I hit bad shots the frustration is maybe a little shorter than it used to be, so therefore it's just a pleasure being out there and being in a position to play for these events again."

Wiesberger qualified for the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in the week after the Open Championship but decided to skip the £8.3million event.

"I felt like I needed a couple of weeks off," he added. "We had some great weeks, mentally tiring weeks, before the last break but we decided to come out and not make that break too long."