Wallace aims for ‘bigger and better’ after career high BMW victory
Matt Wallace is convinced his stunning triumph at the BMW International Open in Germany can pave the way for more success on the big stage.
The world No 91 held off a record-breaking charge by Thorbjorn Olesen to claim a one-shot win over the Dane, Martin Kaymer and Mikko Korhonen, who tied for second.
Scotland’s Scott Jamieson finished in a tie for 12th, five shots off the lead after a final 70, earning €31,650 (£27,830).
0 Wallace: Winner by one shot
Wallacewasbackintheclubhouse when Kaymer, who was one shot down with two holes to play, bogeyed the 17th and effectively handed the 28-yearold the biggest title of his career to date and a first prize of €333,330 (£293,120).
“The BMW is such a great event and to play against the likes of Martin Kaymer and the guys at the top there, it’s great,” Wallace said.
“I work hard for this. I believe I can do it. I want to go further, I want to keep building on this. Obviously this gives me a lot of confidence to go on and play well, and I want to kick on and hopefully do this in the bigger events from now on.
“This is great, this is a step in the right direction. We’ll keep working hard towards bigger and better things.”
Olesen had come from nowheretorecordan11-underpar round of 61, which put him in a three-shot lead before the leading pairs had even started the final round.
Olesen produced nine birdies and an eagle to record the lowest-round score in the history of the tournament, which Wallace – who started the day two shots off the lead – set about reeling in.
Birdies on the 13th and 15th saw him take a share of the lead before an excellent tee shot on the 16th set him up for what proved to be a third European Tour title of his career.
Sergio Garcia also finished tied for 12th place on five under par, while Tommy Fleetwood was way back on four over. Craig Lawrie sets out at Panmure today in one of 13 qualifiers being held throughout Great Britain & Ireland bidding to take the first step towards making next month’s 147th Open Championship a family affair, writes Martin Dempster.
Dad Paul, the winner at Carnoustie in 1999, is among just three Scots currently in the field for the event’s eighth staging at the Angus venue as the annual scramble for coveted spots in the game’s oldest major gets underway.
Also among the hopefuls at Panmure in the first of two stages over the next nine days is Sean Lawrie, Paul’s nephew, with the first target to make it through to final qualifying at four venues.
After a successful run at Gailes Links in Ayrshire, The Renaissance Club in East Lothian is staging one of those 36-hole shoot-outs next Tuesday, when only three Open spots will be up for grabs.
Others hoping to clear the first hurdle at Panmure include Paul Mckechnie, who qualified for the 2014 event at Royal Birkdale, and former European Tour card holder Craig Doak.
There are also a number of amateurs, including Will Porter, who is trying to secure a dream Open appearance at his home course, and fellow Scottish Boys’ champion Eric Mcintosh (Bruntsfield Links).
A sizeable Scottish contingent is also crossing the Border to join the hopefuls at Goswick, south of Berwick-upon-tweed, and that group includes Lloyd Saltman, who won the Silver Medal at the 2005 Open as leading amateur.
Joining him in trying to go low there are his younger brother Zack, as well as former Palmer Cup player James Ross, Northern Open champion Gareth Wright and John Gallagher, who made the cut in the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge in Aviemore.
A handful of Scots are trying to progress at some of the other venues, including Falkirk’s Ryan Campbell, who shared the lead heading into last week’s PGA Europro Tour event at Clevedon, near Bristol, before finishing jointthird.