Sergio Garcia wins 100th edition of the KLM Open

Sergio Garcia claimed his 16th European Tour victory during the 100th edition of the KLM Open 

Sergio Garcia won his 16th European Tour title on Sunday with a final round 69, edging out 18-year-old Nicolai Højgaard by a single shot on 18-under-par.

Garcia, who was playing in the KLM Open for the first time, called his first victory of the year ‘amazing’.

“It was honestly amazing to have my brother, Angie my wife and little Azalea [Garcia’s daughter] here, it’s very special,” Garcia said after tapping in for par at the last.

“Amazing. We had a great week and great to win again. I played well all week under pressure. It wasn’t easy, there were a couple of tough moments today but I hung on tough, that’s the most important thing.

“I want to thank all my sponsors for their support and everything they do for me and the year just got a little bit better.”

The Spaniard, who began the final round in a share of the lead with Callum Shinkwin, birdied his opening hole and responded to a dropped shot at the second with three consecutive gains to lead by one. 

The lead quickly slipped from his grasp following back-to-back bogeys, dropping a shot at the sixth and three putting the seventh, but Shinkwin made a double-bogey at the 10th to hand Garcia back a one shot advantage. 

With just four holes to go Højgaard tied the lead at the top, but the 39-year-old answered by sticking his approach shot to just two feet for a tap in birdie on the 15th, and moved two shots clear a hole later. 

A bad tee shot cost Garcia a shot at the 18th, and a final hole birdie put the young Danish player within one after his eagle try slid past the hole, before Garcia tapped in for par and victory. 

Matt Wallace finished in third place on 15-under after following a third round 63 with a four-under 68, ending up one clear of James Morrison and two shots clear of Shinkwin finished in fifth on -13.