Volvo China Open: Mikko Korhonen beats Benjamin Hebert in play-off

By Ali Stafford

Highlights from an eventful final round of the European Tour's Volvo China Open at Genzon Golf Club

Mikko Korhonen secured his second European Tour title with a dramatic play-off victory over Benjamin Hebert at the Volvo China Open on Sunday.

Final leaderboard

Volvo China Open

Korhonen fired a final-round 66 at Genzon Golf Club to join overnight leader Benjamin Hebert tied at the top on 20 under, before beating the Frenchman with a 10-foot birdie on the first sudden-death hole.

Trophee Hassan II winner Jorge Campillo finished a shot off the pace in third, while home favourite Haotong Li posted a six-under 66 to jump into fourth spot.

Image: Jorge Campillo moves to second on the European Tour's Race to Dubai

"It was a battle all day as everyone was making putts and I had to stay patient and do the same," Korhonen said. "It's great to have this second win in the bag and I'm delighted."

Korhonen, starting three off the lead, put pressure on the final group with three birdies over his opening six holes but then made a three-putt bogey from just off the eighth green on his way to a front-nine 34.

Advertisement

This is a limited version of the story so unfortunately this content is not available.
Open the full version

Hebert birdied the par-five ninth to reach the turn one ahead of Campillo, who briefly grabbed the outright advantage with four consecutive birdies around the turn, as Korhonen made back-to-back gains from the 10th and added another at the par-five 13th.

Campillo found water off the 14th tee to set up the first of back-to-back bogeys, with Hebert also dropping a shot at the 15th, before the pair both birdied the par-three 16th to join Korhonen in a three-way tie for the lead with two holes to play.

Also See:

Image: Benjamin Hebert fell just short in his bid for a maiden European Tour title

Korhonen rolled in a 12-footer at the 17th to take a one-shot lead up the last, where Hebert drove the par-four green and posted a two-putt birdie to force a play-off, as Campillo closed his round with back-to-back pars to narrowly miss out on a second victory in as many weeks.

England's Jordan Smith finished five strokes back in the group of players on 15 under, while Scotland's Richie Ramsay was three shots further back in tied-14th and 14-year-old amateur Yang Kuang - the second-youngest player ever to make a European Tour cut - carded a final-round 73 to end the week tied-55th.

Outbrain