Fitzpatrick gets better of Hend in thriller
CRANS-SUR-SIERRE: Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick claimed his first win of the season by edging out Scott Hend on the third play-off 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 t he 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,” said Fitzpatrick, who lost out by one shot to Danny Willett in 2015.
“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,” he said.
After the players had completed their weather-delayed third rounds in the morning at Crans-sur-Sierre, Hend held a threeshot lead over Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti.
But world No 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. Later in the game Fitzpatrick bogeyed the penultimate hole to leave the pair tied at the top and headed for a play-off on the parfour 18th.
The 44-year-old Hend struck a magnificent iron shot to six feet from the pin, only to pull his putt for a third European Tour victory past the lip.
He had the wind knocked out of his sails by that poor miss, and dumped his next tee shot into a fairway bunker, before firing the ball against the grandstand behind the green.
Hend completely fell to pieces, with his next chip flying back over the putting surface and stopping only narrowly short of the water hazard. His bogey allowed Fitzpatrick to tap in for the win.
LEADING FINAL ROUND SCORES
(Par 70, GBR/IRL unless stated)
266 - Matthew Fitzpatrick 67-65-70-64, Scott Hend (AUS) 64-63-71-68 (Fitzpatrick wins in play-off)
269 - Tyrrell Hatton 64-71-68-66, Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR) 66-65-70-68
270 - Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 70-70-66-64
Selected scores
272 - Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 65-66-74-67
273 - Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 69-69-69-66, Poom Saksansin (THA) 70-66-68-69