Ryder Cup star Jamie Donaldson is now a winner on the Legends Tour after overcoming a four-shot deficit to claim the Champions UK plc Senior European Masters hosted by Peter Baker.
Playing in just his second tournament after turning 50 over the summer, the Welshman – a three-time winner on the DP World Tour – shot a superb closing 67 at La Manga Club in Murcia, Spain, to finish at -11 and edge out Mikael Lundberg, Thomas Gögele and Van Phillips.
Overnight leader Michael Campbell faded on the back-nine with a series of untimely bogeys and finished in a tie for fifth place at -8 alongside defending champion Simon Griffiths and fellow Englishman Matt Cort.
Swedish Ryder Cup duo Jarmo Sandelin and Joakim Haeggman, along with Adilson da Silva and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber – who matched Donaldson’s low round of 67– were a shot further back at -7.
“It’s fantastic,” said Donaldson afterwards. “I’ve had a great week and it was nice to play so well today and birdie the last to pip them to it. The plan all week was to take advantage of the par-fives, get through the par-threes and pick up shots where I can on the fours. I did that perfectly today. I was really happy with the way I played.
“Early in the round I wasn’t trying to push too much, just wanted to let it happen. I tried to stay calm and stick to the plan of just hitting fairways and know I’ll have chances and that’s what I did. I got off to a strong start, and then it kind of snowballed in my direction as I made more birdies around the turn.
“I’m really pleased to have finished so strongly, and although it’s a shame I bogeyed 17, I bounced back really well with a great drive on 18 and then a solid 5-iron in the heart of the green. I hit a terrible first putt but luckily the pace was good and I got to -11.
“I played Italy and finished 17th, and I remember thinking that it was quite difficult because there’s so many guys out here that may not hit the ball as long as guys on the DP World Tour but they still play really, really good golf, and they’re very, very good at scoring. The scoring in Italy was really good and I knew I’d have to play some golf if I want to win tournaments out here. Luckily, I managed to do that this week.”
Starting at five-under, the 2014 Ryder Cup player was quickly out of the blocks with three birdies in his first six holes to close to within one as former US Open champion Campbell faltered. Another at the 10th – as Campbell bogeyed – gave him a share of the lead as the tension ratcheted up. A stirring finish, with superb birdies at 16 and 18, catapulted him into the clubhouse lead at -11.
Germany’s Gögele had earlier seized an opportunity to take the lead himself with three front-nine birdies of his own and it soon became a straight fight with Donaldson for the title. Standing on the 17th Gögele held the lead at -11 but like Donaldson he bogeyed the par-three and was left needing to birdie the reachable par-five to force a play-off. Unfortunately his tee shot caught the wind and found water, and although he scrambled a par it left him a shot adrift of the clubhouse lead.
Gögele was joined at -10 by the form player of the last three months, Mikael Lundberg, who knocked a 235-yard 3-wood to a foot for a tap-in eagle at the last. The Swede has finished in the top-10 in seven of his last nine outings and a victory certainly feels imminent. Van Phillips also surged to -10 with birdies at 17 and 18 to cap another solid week for the Englishman.
“That was a tough week,” said Phillips.
“It was very windy and the greens are really difficult but I’ve played really solidly and I’m really happy. I didn’t quite get the momentum today but I’ve had a strong finish and I’ve got to be happy with that. I’ve had some close calls in recent months and some really disappointing Sundays, so it was nice to shoot a proper score on a Sunday.”
The Legends Tour now moves on to Asia with the Vattanac Legends in Cambodia taking place in two weeks’ time.
Link to leaderboard here.
