By John Huggan
The rise and rise of Rasmus Hojgaard continues. Already a winner this season at the Mauritius Open—in his fifth career European Tour start—the 19-year-old Dane has doubled his victory tally after only 10 more appearances. Hojgaard’s par 4 at the second extra hole was enough to beat South Africa’s Justin Walters and clinch the U.K. Championship title at The Belfry.

The playoff pair had tied at 14-under-par 274 on the four-time Ryder Cup venue’s Brabazon course, one shot better than former U.S. Open and PGA champion Martin Kaymer and Frenchman Benjamin Hebert. World No. 30 Bernd Wiesberger, the highest-ranked player in the field, tied for fifth alongside Scotsman Craig Howie on 12 under.

In ideal scoring conditions—41 of the 64-strong field broke par—Hojgaard’s closing 65 tied for low round of the day. He was four under par for the last five holes, an eagle at the par-5 17th the highlight when his 260-yard hybrid second shot pulled up no more than 10 feet from the cup. A safe par at the treacherous 18th (where he made a triple-bogey 7 on Thursday) set the target only Walters could match.

“It’s been a tough day,” said Hojgaard, who began the final round five shots behind Walters. “I went out with the same mindset I had all week. My aim was just to give myself as many birdie opportunities as possible, then see if I could take advantage of them. Much more than yesterday, I managed that. The last six holes were a bit of a blur. I was disappointed when I made a bogey on the 12th, then again when I didn’t birdie the par-5 15th. But from then on I took the chances when they came along. The shot I hit to the 17th green was the best of them though. It was an incredible shot.”

Up to fourth on the Race to Dubai and (provisionally) around 60th in the world, Hojgaard also topped the mini Order of Merit made up of the six events of the European Tour’s initial U.K. Swing. No surprise there for the man who was part of Denmark’s winning side at the 2018 World Amateur Team Championship (alongside twin brother, Nicolai). Second at the British Masters, T-6 at the Hero Open and third at the English Championship, Hojgaard was clearly the most consistent performer over the six-week stretch. Not bad for a teenager who was at the European Tour Qualifying School less than a year ago. In three weeks time, he will make his U.S Open debut at Winged Foot.

In contrast to the winner’s beaming smile in the immediate aftermath of victory, it was a day of disappointment for at least some of those piled up behind the precocious champion. Walters in particular. In what was his 227th European Tour start the 39-year-old remains winless at the end of a round that contained a little bit of everything. Two shots clear with 18 holes to play, Walters made seven birdies and two bogeys in his closing 70. But the drive he hit out-of-bounds way right of the eighth fairway en route to a triple-bogey 7 will surely be his biggest regret.

Ross Kinnaird

Likewise, Kaymer’s search for a first victory since the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst continues. The 34-year-old German looked the likely winner for much of the back nine. First to reach 13 under par, and first to reach 14 under, Kaymer struck a series of beautiful iron shots into the soft Belfry greens. Most of those birdie chances went unrequited, however. Although the bogey 6 at the reachable 17th, where, after a wayward drive, he took three to get down from just off the green, will no doubt be the unforced error the former World No. 1 will rue most.

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By John Huggan
Two things were immediately obvious at the conclusion of the Belgian Knock-Out. First, the European Tour’s latest venture into an untried and innovative format —after 36 holes of stroke-play the leading 64 players qualified for the six series of nine-hole matches that ultimately pared the field down to the eventual champion—worked refreshingly well. Large crowds enjoyed the golf, the sunshine and the opportunity to follow the players, at a discreet distance, down the fairways. In that respect at least, it was just like old times during Belgium’s first European Tour event in 18 years.

Secondly, it is clear that Adrian Otaegui is one tough competitor when it comes to head-to-head matches. Following up his victory at the now-defunct Paul Lawrie Match Play last year, the 25-year-old Spaniard, who calls Dubai home, beat Benjamin Hebert of France to claim the €166,660 (AED 718,500) first prize.

Four birdies in five holes from the fourth hole on the delightful Rinkven International Golf Club course just outside Antwerp were the keys to Otaegui’s victory. Armed with a two-stroke edge standing on the last tee, the former British Boys champion, another match-play event, boldly took driver down the narrow 424-yard par 4 and was rewarded with an easy half in 4 to clinch his second European Tour title.

“I’m very relaxed now,” said a smiling Otaegui, after his sixth top-20 finish in succession, a run that includes a runner-up spot in the Volvo China Open. “But the last nine holes were very tense. I’m not sure what it is about me and match play. This week I just tried to play against myself and focus on my own game. And it worked.”

In the third-place match, Scotland’s David Drysdale edged home by a shot against the unlikely figure of James Heath. Ranked a subterranean 159th on the “Race to Dubai,” the Englishman had arrived in Belgium on the back of seven missed cuts in his last eight events. The €50,000 Heath pocketed is the biggest payday of his 14-year professional career and had the added bonus of earning his first invite into this week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

One last thing. While the second half of the event was not pure match play, there remained room for some of peculiarities inherent to knock-out contests. Take the quarterfinals. In going down narrowly by one shot to Heath, the last Belgian extant, Nicolas Colsaerts, was two under par for the nine holes. Which was doubly unlucky for the former Ryder Cupper. His score would have beaten all six players in the other three matches. In contrast, Drysdale edged through at the same stage against Victor Perez of France despite being a very average two over par, a score that would have lost to every one of the other competitors. Such is golf.

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A year after hitting a 5-wood to two feet on the final hole at the K Club to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, Rory McIlroy’s trip to Portstewart Golf Club this year was a lot less successful. And a lot shorter.

McIlroy, whose foundation is the beneficiary of the event, shot a one-over-par 73 on Friday to miss the cut, continuing a difficult season for the four-time major champ that has included two injury breaks.

“I’m frustrated,” McIlroy told reporters after. “I felt like I was making some good ground – obviously not getting close to the lead, but being around for the weekend.”

After an opening 72, McIlroy got to two under on his back nine on Friday before stalling with a bogey on No. 6 and a double bogey on No. 8. Playing partners Jon Rahm (12 under) and Hideki Matsuyama (nine under) are both in great shape after 36 holes. Benjamin Hebert and Daniel Im currently share the lead at 13 under.

It’s the second missed cut in three starts for McIlroy, who also recently failed to make the weekend at the U.S. Open before finishing T-17 at the Travelers Championship. At the Travelers, McIlroy used three different putters and was seen practicing with five different putters ahead of his third round.

“My short game, in general, it’s just silly mistakes,” said McIlroy, who oddly has a win and four missed cuts in the last five Irish Opens. “I’m just not being very efficient with my scoring and that’s why I’m making it difficult for myself. Just need to tidy up the short game a little bit; I feel like the long game is there.”

McIlroy will play in next week’s Scottish Open before the British Open at Royal Birkdale the following week.

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Rory McIlroy is again serving as host for the Irish Open, a tournament that benefits the 28-year-old’s foundation. But, after a shaky opening round at Portstewart Golf Club, the four-time major winner has work to do if he wants to be more than a spectator this weekend.

McIlroy, who’s grappled with his putting as of late, struggled in all facets of his game on Thursday, turning in an even-par 72. While that may seem serviceable, it left much to be desired on a day when the rest of the field went low, leaving McIlroy in 106th place.

“I don’t think you are going to get this course much easier,” McIlroy conceded after his round. “There was so many scoring opportunities out there with loads of wedges into the par 4s, four par 5s that were all very reachable.”

McIlroy, who won last year’s event at the K Club, is eight behind the leaders and two back of the projected cut.

“I just didn’t — felt I gave myself a few chances but I just didn’t quite get anything going,” McIlroy said. “Just couldn’t get any momentum. Was trying my hardest out there and yeah, just one of those days where I just couldn’t quite get it going.”

Jon Rahm

For what it’s worth, McIlroy at least seemed comfortable on the greens, saying he planned on sticking with his current putter after trying multiple flatsticks at the Travelers Championship.

“I’m actually happy with what I’m doing out there,” McIlroy said. “It’s more, whether it’s a little bit of a pace issue; when you come back here from playing in the States for so long, it takes awhile to adjust because the greens are that much slower here. There is a bit of that.”

McIlroy’s playing partner Jon Rahm fared significantly better. The fledging star — who bounced back from consecutive missed cuts at the Memorial and U.S. Open with a T-10 last week in France — stole the show with six birdies and an eagle.

“It was just a great day,” the 22-year-old remarked afterwards. “The atmosphere was so good. My attitude, it was probably the best it’s been all year. I was positive all day. Kept my routine going. Stayed calm and the result showed how good it was.”

His seven-under 65 is just one behind Daniel Im and Benjamin Hebert.

Other player of note include Matthew Fitzpatrick, posting a bogey-free 66, and Hideki Matsuyama, firing a 67 playing with Rahm and McIlroy.

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