Thomas Pieters claimed his first European Tour victory in three years and a second triumph in the D+D Real Czech Masters, after holding off a late charge from Adri Arnaus to win by a single shot at Albatross Golf Resort.
The 27-year-old Belgian’s length off the tee was pivotal all week as he signed for a closing 69 and a winning 19-under-par total, but it was not plain sailing for Pieters, despite carrying a three-stroke lead into the back nine.
Spaniard Arnaus – a rookie who graduated from the Challenge Tour last year – birdied two of the final three holes for a closing 69 of his own and an 18 under total, meaning Pieters needed to convert a short putt at the 18thto avoid a play-off. He duly tapped in though, earning a fourth European Tour title in the process.
England’s Sam Horsfield finished in a tie for third on 16 under with Italy’s defending champion Andrea Pavan.
It is a long-awaited return to the winner’s circle for Pieters, four years after a meteoric rise began with a win at the Czech Masters in 2015 and culminated in a memorable Ryder Cup debut in 2016 – where he became Europe’s greatest ever rookie with a points haul of four from five.
The former Olympian played with 2020 Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington in the opening two rounds in Prague this week, and will be targeting a return to team Europe as he moved to 42nd in the Race to Dubai and moved back into the top 100 in the world ranking.
Pieters said: “I’m relieved. It’s been three years since I last won. I never doubted myself, but it’s just been a long road of not feeling that great with the golf swing. It’s difficult when everybody says you should be winning two or three times a year. It’s nice to hear that, but it made me feel like I was underachieving, but hopefully there will be many more wins like this to come.”
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