Fitzpatrick beats Hend in thrilling play-off

CRANS-SUR-SIERRE (Switzerland): Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick claimed his first win of the season by edging out Scott Hend on the third playoff hole of a dramatic European Masters in Switzerland on Sunday.

Fitzpatrick fired a fantastic final round of 64 to reach 14 under par overall, before Hend’s capitulation on the players’ third sudden-death trip down the 18th handed him a first victory since last year’s Tour Championship.

Australian Hend, who lost to Alex Noren in a play-off at the same event 12 months ago, missed a six-foot putt for the title on the second play-off hole before falling apart minutes later.

“I’m delighted, it’s one that I’ve always wanted to win,” Fitzpatrick, who lost out by one shot to Danny Willett in 2015, told europeantour.com.

“I love playing this golf course, from the first ever year I came as an invite in 2014 it’s one that has really stood out on my schedule and I always want to come back and play.”

After the players had completed their weather-delayed third rounds in the morning at Cranssur-Sierre, Hend held a three-shot lead over Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti.

But world number 48 Fitzpatrick, 23, looked to have carved out a tournament-winning lead as a trio of birdies on the back nine put him two clear with two holes remaining.

Hend, playing in the final group, found a birdie at the par-five 15th though, before Fitzpatrick bogeyed the penultimate hole to leave the pair tied at the top and headed for a play-off on the parfour 18th. - AFP