Richard McEvoy wins Porsche European Open

England’s Richard McEvoy birdied the last to win the Porsche European Open by a single shot from Christofer Blomstrand, Renato Paratore and amateur Allen John.

Richard McEvoy wins Porsche European Open

Richard McEvoy claimed his first European Tour win in his 285th start on the circuit. The 39-year-old Englishman finished one clear of the field in the Porsche European Open over the Green Eagle Golf Courses in Hamburg, Germany.

McEvoy has come through the Qualifying School on the European Tour six times and has twice graduated onto the European Tour through the Challenge Tour. Now he is finally a winner on the main circuit.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “I’ve waited a long time, 17 years as a pro on and off the Tour. I’m absolutely over the moon. A lot of hard work, a lot of bad years, a lot of good years but it’s never quite happened and it was my time on that 18th green today.”

Richard McEvoy won on his 285th European Tour start

McEvoy took a two-shot lead on the front nine and for much of the afternoon was battling it out with playing partner and joint overnight leader Bryson DeChambeau.

Back-to-back bogeys from McEvoy on the 12th and 13th put DeChambeau in the lead but the American dropped five shots in his last four holes to fall back. He finished in a tie for 13th.

A birdie on the 15th put McEvoy back in front but amateur Allen John was already in the clubhouse at 10-under. John who rejoined the unpaid ranks in 2016 after turning professional in 2011, produced one of the stories of the week with a superb closing 67.

Christofer Blomstrand and Ranato Paratore both birdied the last for rounds of 68 and 70 respectively to join John and when McEvoy bogeyed the 17th, there was a four-way tie for the lead.

A lay-up on the last left McEvoy 20 feet up the hill for victory and he rolled the putt home for a one-stroke victory.

“I fought hard, I believed, and even at the last I overpowered my caddie to lay it up to give myself the best opportunity to make birdie and I managed to do it,” he said.

German amateur Allen John is looking towards a return to the professional ranks following his tied second place finish in Hamburg.

Allen John

Allen has only 5% of his hearing without hearing aids and won gold at the 2017 Deaflympics. He turned pro in 2011 but regained his amateur status in 2016

“There’s a lot of self-confidence I can take out of the tournament, being in contention, finishing second, that’s a pretty amazing feeling and gives me a lot of confidence in the abilities that I can do on a golf course,” he said.

Porsche European Open
Green Eagle Golf Courses, Hamburg, Germany
26-29 July
Purse: $2,000,000 Par: 72

1 Richard McEvoy (Eng) 70 65 69 73 277 €333,330
T2 Christofer Blomstrand (Swe) 72 67 71 68 278 €173,710
T2 Renato Paratore (Ita) 72 66 70 70 278 €173,710
T2 Allen John (Ger) 68 73 70 67 278 0 (Am)
T5 Hideto Tanihara (Jap) 69 70 71 69 279 €92,400
T5 Romain Wattel (Fra) 67 69 72 71 279 €92,400
T7 Paul Casey (Eng) 69 69 69 73 280 €65,000
T7 Matthias Schwab (Aut) 68 67 70 75 280 €65,000
T9 David Drysdale (Sco) 69 67 72 73 281 €42,900
T9 Matthew Nixon (Eng) 73 71 69 68 281 €42,900
T9 Patrick Reed (USA) 70 66 69 76 281 €42,900
T9 Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 70 69 72 70 281 €42,900

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

This article Richard McEvoy wins Porsche European Open appeared first on Golf Monthly.