Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano wins Shanghai Masters

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano shot a closing four-under-par 68 to win the BMW Shanghai Masters – his seventh European Tour victory.

The Spaniard chipped in on 17 to lead by three shots at Lake Malaren, but a double-bogey at the last hole saw him finish just the one shot clear of Francesco Molinari and Thongchai Jaidee. Italian Molinari had held the clubhouse lead on 10-under, but six birdies in 12 holes gave Fernandez-Castano victory.

Paul Casey finished four shots back, while Rory McIlroy was 10 shots adrift.

“On the last I tried to play too conservative and it was a fighting double-bogey that’s for sure,” said Fernandez-Castano, who is moving to Florida this winter and playing mainly on the PGA Tour next season. “The win comes from some good hard work in Valderrama with my coaches last week and it has paid off.”

Before this victory, the 32-year-old’s most recent win came at last year’s Italian Open and he put himself into contention in Shanghai when a five-under-par third round left him one shot adrift of leaders Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Luke Guthrie.

Fernandez-Castano took the outright lead on the back nine with birdies on 11 and 13, before an eight-feet putt on 15 and a chip in from the fringe of the green on 17 afforded him a three-shot cushion going down the last. The win moves the Spaniard up to fourth place in the race to Dubai standings for next month’s World Tour Championship.

American Guthrie eventually finished fourth, while any challenge from Casey disappeared with bogeys on 12 and 13. Last year’s winner Peter Hanson earned the best score of the day with a nine-under-par 63.