Published July 17, 2008 on September 30, 2019

Perez Claims Maiden Title at Home of Golf

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Victor Perez claimed his maiden European Tour title as the Frenchman became the first rookie to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews Old Course just 15 miles from the place he currently calls home, Dundee.

It was a tense battle throughout as the 27-year-old locked horns with his playing partner Matthew Southgate, having both shared a two-stroke lead heading into the final day. Perez was one stroke behind the Englishman heading into the back nine despite a flawless two-under front nine.

A dropped shot at the par-three 11^th meant he dropped further off the pace but a birdie at the par-five 14^th for the 2018 European Challenge Tour graduate, and a bogey for Southgate, meant a two-shot swing had them level going down the stretch.

Southgate’s missed par putt at the 17^th was decisive as Perez edged ahead and two pars at the famous final hole at the Home of Golf earned Perez – who lives in Dundee with his partner Abigail – a career-changing victory as he moved to 17^th in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex.

Southgate could console himself with an important outright second place finish which secures his European Tour card for 2020 season after a disappointing season up to this point. Tommy Fleetwood, meanwhile, won the team prize in the unique Pro-Am event alongside partner Ogden Phipps II, pipping Rory McIlroy and his father Gerry to the title.

Final scores:

266 V Perez (Fra) 64 68 64 70,
267 M Southgate (Eng) 65 66 65 71,
268 P Waring (Eng) 65 68 65 70, J Lagergren (Swe) 69 62 68 69,
269 T Fleetwood (Eng) 66 69 70 64, J Smith (Eng) 64 68 68 69, J Wang (Kor) 70 65 66 68, M Jordan (Eng) 66 64 71 68, T Lewis (Eng) 70 70 65 64,
270 A Pavan (Ita) 68 65 67 70, T Finau (USA) 67 66 66 71, L Donald (Eng) 68 68 64 70, C Shinkwin (Eng) 72 68 63 67, R Ramsay (Sco) 65 67 70 68,
271 A Noren (Swe) 69 66 68 68, H Hall (Eng) 70 68 68 65, R Knox (Sco) 66 66 70 69, E Pepperell (Eng) 70 66 68 67, M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 68 65 72 66, S Lowry (Irl) 73 66 64 68, M Wallace (Eng) 70 68 68 65, T Hatton (Eng) 66 68 67 70,
272 T Detry (Bel) 72 69 63 68, L Bjerregaard (Den) 67 68 66 71, H Li (Chn) 71 68 64 69,
273 R Macintyre (Sco) 71 66 66 70, Z Lombard (RSA) 67 68 71 67, M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 69 67 67 70, C Hill (Sco) 66 65 70 72, D Willett (Eng) 72 66 66 69, R McIlroy (Nir) 70 66 70 67, P Harrington (Irl) 69 68 66 70, V Dubuisson (Fra) 68 67 70 68,
274 S Soderberg (Swe) 71 64 69 70, S Horsfield (Eng) 72 67 68 67, J Rose (Eng) 68 64 70 72, R Karlsson (Swe) 67 70 67 70, D Burmester (RSA) 73 68 66 67, O Wilson (Eng) 72 67 68 67,
275 J Luiten (Ned) 69 67 71 68, T Pulkkanen (Fin) 65 68 74 68, O Fisher (Eng) 68 69 70 68, M Kinhult (Swe) 66 70 70 69, R Gouveia (Por) 70 67 67 71, J Catlin (USA) 72 65 69 69,
276 M Pavon (Fra) 68 71 68 69, B Hebert (Fra) 73 64 67 72, F Zanotti (Par) 66 71 70 69, S Jamieson (Sco) 69 66 72 69, W Besseling (Ned) 68 67 71 70, D Horsey (Eng) 68 67 72 69,
277 J Veerman (USA) 72 63 70 72, L Slattery (Eng) 68 66 72 71,
278 R Fox (Nzl) 64 68 73 73, A Rai (Eng) 68 66 69 75,
281 J Guerrier (Fra) 69 69 69 74, G Forrest (Sco) 72 70 65 74,
282 R Karlberg (Swe) 69 68 68 77, A Quiros (Esp) 70 70 66 76,
284 R Jacquelin (Fra) 69 69 67 79,