Emotional Johnson hails first Tour win
ANDREW JOHNSTON described it as a dream come true after holding off a final-day charge from tournament host Sergio Garcia to win his first European Tour title in the Spanish Open.
The Englishman carded a final round of 70 at Valderrama to finish one over par and a shot ahead of The Netherlands’ Joost Luiten, with Garcia another stroke back following a closing 67.
That was the lowest score of the day as the world No.16 took advantage of the calm and overcast conditions, but the 36-year-old was left to rue missing from 10 feet for an eagle on the 17th and a bogey on the last.
“I came off the course and I just started crying with the emotion of it,” said Johnston, 27, who became the first winner of regular European Tour event with an over-par total since Ian Woosnam in the Scottish Open at Carnoustie in 1996.
“It’s just very surreal and I don’t think it will hit me for a few days. It’s a dream come true, really.” Johnston, who won the Challenge Tour in 2014 and finished 70th on the Race to Dubai last season, added: “The last few years have been crazy, just seeing that steady improvement which is really positive. I had a good year last year which gave me confidence. The goal this year was to get a win and I can’t believe it has happened this quickly.”
With overnight leader Michael Lorenzo-Vera quickly dropping down the leaderboard – with three bogeys in the first four holes – two-time major winner Martin Kaymer briefly enjoyed a two-shot lead after he calmly holed from five feet for a birdie on the third.
However, Kaymer’s playing partner Luiten then birdied the fourth and fifth to get on level terms before Kaymer bogeyed the seventh after a wild drive meant he had to chip out sideways from the trees. Johnston had dropped a shot on the first, but then picked up shots on the seventh and eighth to join Luiten at the top of the leaderboard, before Luiten bogeyed the par-five 11th.
A three-putt bogey on the 14th cost Johnston the outright lead, but he responded superbly with a birdie from 20 feet on the 16th which ultimately proved decisive as Luiten was unable to find a birdie on the closing stretch.
Meanwhile, Grant Forrest ended a near two year-long victory drought with his play-off success in the prestigious Battle Trophy at Crail.
Forrest defeated Dubai-based Scot Euan McIntosh with the 22-year-old North Berwick golfer, who also is a former Scottish Amateur champion, winning with a birdie at the first extra hole on the Gil Hanse-designed Craighaed course.
“It’s great to again win an individual trophy as it’s been a long time since my St Andrews Links trophy win,” said Forrest.