CROMVOIRT, Netherlands – Spanish golfer Pablo Larrazabal won the KLM Open by two strokes on Sunday, claiming his ninth European tour title and second in four weeks.
Larrazabal, 40, started the final round with a 1-stroke advantage and shot 3-under-69 at Bernardus Golf.
Larrazabal repeatedly punched the air and hit his chest after making a 21-foot putt at the end, scoring the third bird in his last four holes. He finished 13 under par overall.
His round got off to a bad start after making a double-bogey 6 in 2nd place when his tee shot hit the water, but he recovered from back-to-back birdies from 6th and then went home on 32nd.
“It was a battle with myself,” said Larrazabal. “I didn’t play well. I managed it, made some great putts on the top nine and did my best to stay in position, then three birdies in the last four.
“To win golf tournaments, you have to birdie at the end. It doesn’t matter how fast you run at the beginning, you have to run faster at the end to win the race.”
Larrazabal also won the Korean Championship last month and is playing some of the best golf in a career that has included outstanding victories at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Championships and the French Open – his first career title – in 2008.
A fellow Spaniard Adrian Otaegui the birdie was also last, scoring 70 and finishing second overall.
Rasmus Hojgaard Denmark (71) and Deon Germishuys South Africa (69).
