Otto savours European Tour joy at last

5/11/2008

He won countless amateur titles and has triumphed seven times as a professional in his native South Africa, but Hennie Otto finally savoured the joy of being a European Tour champion when he triumphed in the Methorios Capital Italian Open.

The 31 year old, beaten in a play-off by Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth in the Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal six weeks ago, finally got it right at the sunkissed Castello di Tolscinasco Golf and Country Club – but he had to survive a nervy final few holes before claiming the €283,330 (£221,303) first prize and a priceless exemption on The European Tour until the end of the 2010 season.

In Madeira, Otto surrendered a five shot lead and despite holding on to his four shot overnight advantage through the majority of the front nine of the final round in Italy, when he dropped a shot at the 12th, he was suddenly level with Englishman Oliver Wilson who stormed into contention with four birdies in a row from the 11th.

However, this time Otto responded in magnificent fashion by sinking a 20 foot birdie putt on the 433 yard 13th, before four consecutive pars took him to the 18th tee with a one shot lead, Wilson having finished with an excellent 64 – the lowest round of the final day – for a 24 under par total of 264.

His tee shot narrowly avoided a bunker and, knowing he needed a par four to win, he had to play his second shot with one foot in the sand and one foot on the grass. Undaunted, he conjured up one of the shots of his life to find the putting surface.

He two putted for a 69 and a 25 under par total of aggregate of 263 which, as well as being the lowest score in the tournament’s history since it joined the European Tour – beating the 265 total posted by Francesco Molinari in 2006 – he also produced the lowest winning total of the 2008 European Tour season.

Leaderboard – Final:

1.   Hennie Otto                  SAF  65 66 63 69 263 -25
2.   Oliver Wilson                 ENG  66 69 65 64 264 -24
3.   Robert Karlsson             SWE  68 61 69 67 265 -23
4.   Phillip Archer                  ENG  70 64 65 68 267 -21
      Marcel Siem                  GER  70 66 65 66 267 -21
6.   Ross McGowan               ENG  64 71 64 69 268 -20
7.   Grégory Havret               FRA  70 67 63 70 270 -18
      Christian Nilsson            SWE  67 67 64 72 270 -18
      Alvaro Velasco                ESP  70 64 64 72 270 -18
10. Nick Dougherty               ENG  71 66 67 67 271 -17
      Marco Soffetti                 ITA  72 66 63 70 271 -17

Source: European Tour