Finland’s Mikko Korhonen won the Volvo China Open after beating Frenchman Benjamin Hebert in a play-off at Genzon Golf Club in Guangdong.
In an intriguing final day tussle, last week’s Trophée Hassan II champion Jorge Campillo, overnight leader Hebert and Korhonen – all playing together – shared a three-way lead stepping onto the 17th tee, but the 38-year-old from Helsinki nosed ahead with a crucial birdie four on the penultimate hole.
Hebert, one shot back with one to play, drove the green on the par-four 18th, two-putting for a birdie, a closing 69 and a 20-under-par total to take it down the 18thonce again. But Korhonen, who had signed for a 66, never flinched in the face of intense pressure and a chip and a putt were enough for a winning birdie three on the extra hole.
Victory moved Korhonen up from 98th to 17th in the Race to Dubai rankings and earned him a place in the US PGA Championship at Bethpage in two weeks’ time.
For Hebert, it was a second runner-up finish on the European Tour, while Campillo has now finished in the top three in five of his last six appearances. Li Haotong was the leading Chinese player after carding a final round 66 to seal fourth place.
Korhonen said: “It’s an amazing feeling. I don’t know how I did it, but it’s probably the putter that made the difference this week. I made lots of putts from outside 15-20 feet. I made a birdie on 17, and gave myself a chance to win it on 18, but I was happy to get into the play-off. It was my first time in a play-off and I had nothing to lose. I just had to make birdie, which I managed to do Winning a golf tournament is never easy, but it’s great to have this second win in the bag and I’m delighted.”
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