Published July 17, 2008 on October 23, 2018

Garcia Secures Valderrama Hat Trick

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Sergio Garcia successfully wrapped up his third Andalucía Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation title with a four-shot victory, after weather delays took the tournament into a fifth day.

The 2017 Masters Tournament winner had been in possession of a three-shot lead when stormy conditions forced play to be suspended on Sunday night after a series of weather delays on the opening three days at Real Club Valderrama had already seen the tournament reduced to 54 holes.

The defending champion – who also won this event in 2011 – powered to victory when play resumed on Monday, carding three birdies and a single bogey in his last 11 holes to finish the week on 12 under par at a course he counts as one of his favourites.

“To be able to win three times here in Valderrama is a dream come true. It’s so difficult, this golf course is so challenging. For me to be able to shoot three rounds under par with the positions we played all week, all the rain we had, and all the stop and going means a lot. I’m very proud of that,” said Garcia.

“I knew the guys would attack, they would be going after me. This is the kind of golf course that if you’re a little bit off you can struggle but if your game is on it gives you a lot of birdie opportunities. Obviously, Shane was playing well, he got close to me, then, unfortunately, he doubled 15 and then I dug up an extra gap with my birdie on 14 and opened it to four.

“Becoming a father changes your life for better and we’ve enjoyed every minute of it.  I am very happy to have Angela and Azalea by my side; it was nice to be able to win it for both of them,” he concluded.

Irishman Shane Lowry recorded his best finish of the season, taking second place at eight under par after a final round 66.

The 31-year-old – whose last victory came at the 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational – had given Garcia a scare when he closed the gap to a single shot courtesy of three birdies in a row at the start of the back nine, but a double bogey at the short 15th hole halted his challenge.

Finland’s Mikko Korhonen finished two shots further back at six under par, one ahead of England’s Ashley Chesters. Lee Westwood and Maximillian Kieffer of Germany were then at four under par, alongside another local favourite, seven-time European Tour winner Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, who secured his European Tour card for 2019 with his share of fifth place.

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay also kept his card after finishing in a share of 11th on two under par to jump up to 115th on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex, with England’s David Horsey clinching the final place.

Malaysia’s Gavin Green finished in joint 52^ndposition on total 216.

 

Final round scores

201 S Garcia (Esp) 68 64 69,
205 S Lowry (Irl) 69 70 66,
207 M Korhonen (Fin) 69 71 67,
208 A Chesters (Eng) 66 70 72,
209 L Westwood (Eng) 71 68 70, G Fdez-Castaño (Esp) 70 68 71, M Kieffer (Ger) 72 71 66,
210 G Moynihan (Irl) 73 71 66, J Norris (Aus) 69 71 70, M Nixon (Eng) 69 71 70,
211 G Bourdy (Fra) 67 73 71, M Warren (Sco) 69 69 73, O Fisher (Eng) 71 69 71, J Luiten (Ned) 73 71 67, R Ramsay (Sco) 69 74 68,
212 A Quiros (Esp) 68 70 74, R Rock (Eng) 71 73 68, A Cañizares (Esp) 71 72 69, R Gouveia (Por) 72 71 69, P Peterson (USA) 70 72 70, T Aiken (RSA) 74 72 66,
213 D Lipsky (USA) 73 70 70, J Scrivener (Aus) 68 73 72, O Farr (Wal) 68 72 73, A Johnston (Eng) 73 70 70, L Jensen (Den) 71 72 70, E Molinari (Ita) 70 73 70, M Kinhult (Swe) 71 72 70,
214 A Saddier (Fra) 71 71 72, M Fraser (Aus) 71 75 68, J Guerrier (Fra) 75 70 69, S Kjeldsen (Den) 75 70 69, C Shinkwin (Eng) 72 72 70, R McEvoy (Eng) 72 71 71, A Hansen (Den) 73 72 69, D Drysdale (Sco) 72 69 73, P Angles (Esp) 71 74 69, S Del Val (Esp) 72 74 68, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 77 68 69, S Gallacher (Sco) 74 71 69, J Wang (Kor) 71 71 72,
215 R Bland (Eng) 70 73 72, P Waring (Eng) 72 72 71, R Evans (Eng) 72 69 74, L Canter (Eng) 71 72 72, S Brown (Eng) 70 72 73, A Dodt (Aus) 75 71 69, J Winther (Den) 74 72 69, D Horsey (Eng) 73 70 72, M Baldwin (Eng) 72 72 71, J Choi (Kor) 72 73 70,
216 M Lundberg (Swe) 71 69 76, B Dredge (Wal) 74 71 71, W Ormsby (Aus) 72 69 75, G Green (Mas) 76 70 70, R Jacquelin (Fra) 70 70 76,
217 N Elvira (Esp) 69 75 73,
218 C Sordet (Fra) 76 70 72, C Koepka (USA) 72 74 72, C Mivis (Bel) 72 72 74, C Syme (Sco) 73 72 73, M Southgate (Eng) 71 74 73, R Karlsson (Swe) 71 75 72, T Bjørn (Den) 73 71 74, T Jaidee (Tha) 75 71 72,
219 F Dreier (Den) 74 71 74, P Harrington (Irl) 72 74 73, S Lee (Kor) 75 70 74, S Hend (Aus) 73 73 73,
220 J Thomson (Eng) 74 72 74,
221 D Fichardt (RSA) 69 75 77, E De La Riva (Esp) 72 73 76,
222 G Stal (Fra) 73 73 76, N Bertasio (Ita) 70 73 79,
223 B Neil (Sco) 73 72 78, B Ritthammer (Ger) 71 75 77,