Monday 6 June 2016 10:24, UK
Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick has claimed his second European Tour title after winning the Nordea Masters by three shots on Sunday.
In a brilliant display, the 21-year-old from Sheffield began the day with a five-shot advantage and held his nerve to card a final round of 71 at Bro Hof Slott near Stockholm.
Four shots clear as he played the 18th, Fitzpatrick could afford to finish with a bogey as he triumphed by three from Denmark's Lasse Jensen (68), with Nicolas Colsaerts (70) of Belgium in third.
Fitzpatrick began his day with a birdie at the second but Colsaerts then mounted a challenge, birdieing the sixth and making an eagle on the ninth.
Fitzpatrick birdied the ninth himself but three-putted the 10th from long range and Colsaerts found himself within two shots of the lead, having birdied that hole.
But the Belgian then dropped a shot at the par-five 12th and Fitzpatrick birdied to go four shots clear, and the former US Amateur champion was able to cruise home from that point.
The bogey at 18 was just the fourth shot Fitzpatrick has dropped all week and the first prize of 250,000 euros consolidated fourth place on the European points list in the Ryder Cup standings.
"It was great, I'm delighted to win," he said. "It was a great final day for me and I managed to hold onto my lead fairly well and get the win. I felt like today was the round were I would be under the most pressure.
"I played fantastic, I'd probably say this is the best I've played today. I was keeping an eye on where I needed to get to but I was just taking one hole at a time and I was so zoned-in to my own game, I didn't know what was gong on around me half the time.
"I'm a million miles ahead of schedule. It's been a tough past few weeks and all of a sudden you turn up and pick up a win."
Jensen's solid final round earned him second place, the best finish of his career, and also secured his place in the field for The 145th Open at Royal Troon next month.
Colsaerts was a shot further back on 12 under, while world No 6 Henrik Stenson gave his adoring home fans plenty to cheer on the final day as he carded seven birdies in a closing 66 which lifted him into a share of third on 10 under with compatriot Bjorn Hellgren, whose 67 included a superb run of six birdies in seven holes around the turn.
Ross Fisher staged a late rally with an eagle at the 13th followed by three birdies in four holes as he closed on nine under after a 69, and Lee Westwood needed three late birdies to salvage a 71 which earned him a tie for eighth on six under.
