Swede in masterly finish

KRISTOFFER Broberg sank a knee-knocking downhill 12-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole to win the BMW Masters and his first European Tour title in Shanghai yesterday.

The Swede carded a four-under final round of 68 to finish level on 17-under par 271 with American Patrick Reed, who shot a 67, forcing the pair to go head-to-head back down the 18th at Lake Malaren.

Reed found the greenside bunker with his second to the long par four while Broberg carved a nine-iron perfectly to the right of the flag and saw it run down a slope to four paces from the hole.

Although Reed splashed out close, the stage was set for the 29-year-old from Stockholm who had won previously three times on the second-tier Challenge Tour but never among the top pros.

He had been faced with an almost identical putt minutes earlier on 18 to win outright but left it short.

This time he made no mistake, rolling the ball down the slope and into the heart of the cup to roars from the packed galleries as he held both arms aloft in triumph.

Broberg was embraced by his caddie and soon after by fellow Swedish tour players Rikard Karlberg and Henrik Stenson who showered him in celebratory champagne.

Fighting back tears, Broberg was almost lost for words after picking up the biggest payday of his career – $1 166 000 (R16.8million) – and shooting up the Race to Dubai rankings from 61st to 12th.

“That’s a dream come true. I’ve worked so hard all my life for this. I have no words,” said the Swede, who started the week ranked 149th in the world but looks certain to break the top 100 when the new rankings are released today.

He said he would be celebrating later over dinner with his Swedish colleagues on tour including world number seven Stenson, who finished just one shot behind Broberg in a tie for third with An ByeongHun of South Korea, Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard and overnight leader Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand. — AFP