Rasmus Hojgaard: "I'm speechless. To be fair I did not think I would end up in a play-off today. It's quite amazing. It's a dream come true to win our home event. This is better than I could ever dream of. We've wanted a Danish winner for so long now so to be the first is amazing."
Sunday 9 July 2023 19:46, UK
Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard overturned a six-shot deficit before beating Nacho Elvira in a play-off to become the first home winner of the Made in HimmerLand event.
Elvira hit his second shot out of bounds on the sixth extra hole to effectively gift a fourth DP World Tour title to Hojgaard, who had holed from nine feet for par on the previous hole to keep his hopes alive.
"I'm speechless," Hojgaard told Sky Sports after a win which moves him within 100 points of an automatic qualifying place for the Ryder Cup.
"To be fair I did not think I would end up in a play-off today. It's quite amazing. It's a dream come true to win our home event.
"This is better than I could ever dream of. We've wanted a Danish winner for so long now so to be the first one to do it is amazing."
Hojgaard, who used to attend the event with his family - including fellow professional and twin brother Nicolai - added: "It isn't that long ago that I was one of those kids trying to get balls and signed gloves. It's awesome to see them out here supporting us."
Hojgaard began the day six shots off the lead but surged through the field with a closing 64, including a birdie on the daunting 18th, to set the target on 13 under par.
Richie Ramsay had the first chance to surpass that target after a birdie on the 16th took him to 14 under, only to find the water with his approach to the last to run up a double bogey and finish a shot outside the play-off.
Overnight leader Elvira, who had bogeyed the 13th and 15th to fall two shots off the pace, birdied the next two holes to catch Ramsay as the Scot played the 18th, but bogeyed the same hole after a long wait on the tee as Ramsay determined where his ball had entered the hazard.
Elvira, who had made just five cuts in 17 previous events this year, had the consolation of securing a place in The Open Championship with his runners-up finish, with former champion Marc Warren and Kalle Samooja taking the other two spots in a tie for fourth.
Ramsay, who also double-bogeyed the 72nd hole of last year's British Masters when needing a par to claim the clubhouse lead, tweeted: "Today will hurt for a long time but I did play very well.
"Played to win so took that shot on (on 18) just didn't come out great. My daughter told me she was proud of me, massive cushion for today."
Compatriot Robert MacIntyre held a two-shot lead at the turn after covering the front nine in 32 to reach 15 under, but ran up a triple-bogey seven on the 13th after failing to move his second shot from waist-high rough.
MacIntyre also bogeyed the 15th to card a closing 71 and finish alongside Warren, Samooja and Alexander Bjork on 11 under par.
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