OTAEGUI IN GOOD COMPANY AFTER SCOTTISH VICTORY
To be able to win in Scotland, especially here in St Andrews, the home of golf, it means a lot to me
ST. ANDREWS, United Kingdom (AFP) — Spain’s Adrian Otaegui powered to the Scottish Championship title with a superb final round of 63 at Fairmont St Andrews on Sunday.
Otaegui started the day four shots behind Matt Wallace but he made 10 birdies to reach 23 under and take the trophy by four shots.
He is only the third Spaniard to win a European Tour title on Scottish soil after Seve Ballesteros and Rafa Cabrera Bello, just down the road from the famed Old Course.
“I’m in very good company. Seve is one of the best golfers I’ve seen and Rafa is a great friend of mine. I know he won the Scottish Open three years ago and I’m in great company,” Otaegui said.
Stroke play is my favourite way of golf, I think it’s the proper way.
“I feel so happy. To be able to win in Scotland, especially here in St Andrews, the home of golf, it means a lot to me.”
Aaron Rai’s 66 saw him finish third at 17 under, a shot clear of two more Englishmen in Chris Paisley and Garrick Porteous.
It was Otaegui who stole the show, bookending his round with birdies to go with eight more gains in 11 holes from the fifth and a single dropped shot on the 10th.
The win is the 27-year-old’s third on the European Tour but his first at a stroke play event, having won the Paul Lawrie match play in 2017 and the Belgian Knockout in the medal match play format the following season.
“Stroke play is my favorite way of golf, I think it’s the proper way,” he said. “You have to play very solidly and very consistently all four rounds, which I think I did. I’m very happy to be able to win stroke play as well, my third win on the European Tour.
“I had no expectations this morning, really. I just wanted to go out there, play well and shoot as well as possible. I mean, If you told me I was going to shoot 63 this morning, I wouldn’t believe it. Everything went well, I played very well, I felt very well, I was very focused and I holed some good putts. It’s been a very good week and especially today was a very good day to finish that week.”
“I feel so happy. To be able to win in Scotland, especially here in St Andrews, the home of golf, it means a lot to me.”
“I obviously have long term goals but I think those goals are here to make you practise better, practise harder and once you are at a tournament you just have to focus on the present. My dream has always been to win the Ryder Cup, to win Majors, but right now I’m just focused on the end of the season.”
Wallace had dropped just one shot all week but his tee shot on the first ended up behind a wall and he made a bogey after chipping out sideways. (With europeantour.com report)