Denmark’s Olesen fires final-round 67 to storm to victory over countryman Hojgaard in Ras Al Khaimah

Thorbjorn Olesen won his eighth DP World Tour title in convincing fashion as he fired a closing 67 at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, finishing at 27 under overall.

The Dane entered the final day four shots clear of Rasmus Hojgaard but saw that lead wiped out within seven holes as his countryman made a blistering start.

A stunning eagle and threeshot swing on the next completely changed the complexion of the day, however, and Olesen eased to a six-shot win.

Hojgaard signed for a 69 to finish at 21 under, one shot clear of Frenchman Frederic Lacroix, who ended his week with a 68. Olesen’s total of 261 – which included a course-record equalling 62 on Friday – is the lowest of the season, with his score to par also the lowest of the season by seven strokes.

“It’s very special,” said UAEbased Olesen, whose family were present to see his win. “Standing here with (son) Cooper makes it a little more special. It was still a battle out there, it got close and you’ve got one of the most solid players right behind you so I knew it was going to be tough.”

Both Olesen and Hojgaard birdied the first after beautiful approaches to inside ten feet but Olesen found the waste area down the left off the second tee and needed four blows to get on the green, surrendering a double-bogey and seeing his lead cut to two.

He went left again off the next tee with Hojgaard looking at 13 feet for eagle but Olesen recovered and drained a 36-footer for birdie as Hojgaard two-putted. The 22-year-old did not lose momentum after that setback, however, playing a stunning bunker shot to get up and down on the driveable par-four fifth and sending his tee-shot right over the flag at the seventh to join the lead.

It was then a tale of two second shots on the par-five eighth, as Olesen left himself six feet for eagle and Hojgaard hit a shank, with the resulting three-shot swing turning the day on its head. Olesen led by four after a 25-footer on the tenth and, while Hojgaard hit back on the par-three 11th with a tee-shot to five feet, he missed a short effort to three-putt the 13th.

Both men got up and down for birdie on the par-five 14th and, when Olesen recovered from a ragged tee-shot to par the 17th and Hojgaard missed a seven-footer for birdie, he took a four-shot lead to the par-five last. Olesen got up and down from the sand for a birdie, while Hojgaard dropped a shot after finding the water.

German duo Maximilian Kieffer and Yannik Paul, Japan’s Keita Nakajima, Englishman Callum Shinkwin and South African Brandon Stone finished the week ten shots off the lead.