Frittelli breaks his long drought

– South African Dylan Frittelli (right) held his nerve to claim his first professional title since 2019 with a two-shot victory at the Bahrain Championship yesterday.

Frittelli held a two-shot lead overnight and a one-under-par final round of 71 was enough for him to maintain that advantage and finish the tournament on 13-under overall.

The 33-year-old, playing mainly on the PGA Tour, endured a miserable 2023 campaign, missing 20 cuts in 31 events and not posting a single top-10 finish to slip outside the world’s top 400.

But he hopes his third European Tour win, and first in six years, helps revive his career.

“It’s been a long road the last five or six years since I left the DP World Tour and went to the States,” said Frittelli.

“It was a pretty tough year last year in America but it feels awesome to back on top right now.

“Last year I was in a couple of spots where I thought I was giving the game up to be honest and looking for something else...

“I’m glad I persevered and all the support from family and friends has been well worth it.”

Frittelli’s fellow South African Zander Lombard fired a closing 68 to grab a tie for second place with Sweden’s Jesper Svensson.

Ockie Strydom fell out of contention with three bogeys on the back nine and it was Lombard who moved up the leaderboard, but his four-under par round saw him fall short and Svensson let his lead slip with two bogeys.

Australian Harrison Endycott, who’d been within a shot of the lead halfway through the third round, ended up in a disappointing joint-16th position, following a second straight 73.

But there was a fine final round from his compatriot David Micheluzzi, who shot a 68 to also finish on five under alongside Endycott.

Another Aussie Haydn Barron had an even better final fling, firing a five-under 67, the joint-best round of the day, to end up at one under, tied for 43rd.