Pedro Linhart showed nerves of steel to soar to a maiden European Senior Tour victory at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open, fending off the significant challenge of Englishman Barry Lane, who was at one point two holes away from the tour’s first ever 59.
The Spaniard entered the final day with a two shot lead but before he could even tee off his final round at the stunning northern Germany venue, the pressure was already on as Lane negotiated his front nine in 29 shots following seven birdies and two pars.
Lane stepped on to the par five 17th tee needing an eagle followed by a birdie at the par four 18th to make history and card the first sub-60 round in Senior Tour history. Two closing pars meant he could not achieve that remarkable feat, but a ten under 62 still left Linart with plenty of work to do.
The 52 year old rose to the challenge in steely fashion, however, and it was a holed nine iron from 139 yards for an eagle two at the second hole which set him on his way to a breakthrough victory.
I don’t understand these players who say they don’t look at them – they’re big enough!
Two more birdies followed at the fifth and sixth holes and while a bogey at the ninth meant he was just one shot clear of Lane heading into the back nine, an impressive run of three consecutive birdies from the 13th sealed the deal for the Cadiz player courtesy of a six under 66 and a 16 under total.
“I really enjoyed it for a while out there when I was hitting it stone dead every time,” said Linhart, who has now won a title each on the Challenge Tour, The European Tour and the Senior Tour. “It is difficult to win though and there were moments when I was a bit tense, but I just let go and tried to just play golf.
“It’s difficult to avoid those leaderboards, I don’t understand these players who say they don’t look at them – they’re big enough! It was out there for the taking and they are all very good players out here so I knew someone would go really low, I was just hoping it was me.
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“It was a good shot into the second and for it to go in was just a bonus at exactly the right moment, because I hadn’t played the first hole particularly well. Then I made a couple of good birdies at five and six and after that I was struggling off the tee. But I just hit some great iron shots on the back nine and that did it for me.
“I hit it stiff on 13, 15 and 16 and then it was just a matter of getting it over the water at the last hole. I just continued playing my best golf and that’s what did it this week.”
Having only earned European Tour status for the first time in his early 30s, before winning his only title at 36 in 1999, Linhart believes his game has been getting better as the years roll by. Now he is looking forward to pitting his wits against some of the greatest legends of the game at The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex in two weeks’ time.
“I certainly hope this is the start of bigger and better things,” said the former Madeira Islands Open winner. “I didn’t get on tour until late in my career and I feel like I’m becoming a better player now after 50 than I was when I was younger.
“There are a few players who have been like that. Golf is a game where you just don’t know when it’s going to happen for you. You just have to keep working and showing up every week.
“The Senior Open is the big one for us. I did go and play the US Senior PGA Championship but that was after not much competitive golf so this really is the Major for us because we’ve already played a few events and it’s such a great tournament, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Lane, meanwhile, was just delighted to have put himself in the mix having begun the day seven shots off the leader and the four-time Senior Tour winner is now looking forward to bringing that form to Sunningdale’s Old Course in two weeks’ time.
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“I was seven behind and I didn’t really think about the leaderboard at all,” said the 55 year old. “But I birdied the first two holes, then missed a four-footer for birdie at the third, then I made five in a row and even lipped out for a hole in one at the seventh.
“I was at ten under at that point and Pedro was just starting and I thought, ‘if I can get it to 14 or 15, you never know’. Then I birdied 12, 14 and 16 and I thought, if I eagle 17 and birdie 18 this could be a 59.
“I couldn’t reach 17 but I was just short after two beautiful shots and I had lovely chip that ran just four feet past, but had a terrible birdie putt then.
“After being seven behind to finish second is great though and it’s a nice way to finish going into the Senior Open.”
Paul Wesselingh, the 2014 champion, could not quite make a push for a successful title defence but he did card a four under par 68 to take third place outright on 11 under par, while Spain’s José Manuel Carriles was a shot further back on ten under par in fourth place.
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