Peterson stuns Pieters, Eales slips into Senior top spot

European Tour: Czech Masters – Paul Peterson

Thomas Pieters, who flew 6,000 miles from Rio to defend his title, needed back-to-back wins to secure his Ryder Cup spot but came up one shot shy as American Peterson matched his birdie at the 72^nd hole.

Pieters saw a number of putts slip by and then watched as Peterson rolled in a 20-footer at the last after he had knocked it in to three feet. Peterson, from Arizona, had only taken the lead for the first time with a birdie at the 16^th.

Before this week Peterson had shot just one sub-70 round all season, at the weekend he recorded efforts of 64-67.

One player who has booked his place for Hazeltine was Matt Fitzpatrick who needed a fifth-place finish and he got just that after closing with a 69.

Congratulations @PPetersonGolf – the #CzechMasters Champion! ? https://t.co/9P7IocyRQv

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 21, 2016

What Peterson said: “It’s a dream come true, honestly. To be where I was on the Race to Dubai and knowing that I had a six-week stretch, to sow things up and get my card for next year, it’s an unbelievable feeling.

“I’m going to remember that putt on 18 for the rest of my life. We had the perfect club in on 16 and it was so funny because I didn’t even feel my swing out there. Once it came to the top, all of a sudden I was at the finish of my swing. I looked up and I was flagging everything, it was cool.”

What Pieters said: “It was too many missed putts. I did not make any. I played good and I stayed patient and I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole.

“At 16 and 17 I needed to get up and down to give myself a chance, then coming down 18 I needed to hit a good shot and I did. But fair play to Paul, he made a wonderful putt to win and that’s how it goes.”

What Fitzpatrick said: “It’s very exciting now. We can look forward to it (the Ryder Cup) and get my game in shape. I’ve probably been in the team for the longest period of time. It started two weeks before I won at the British Masters and I jumped into the team and I’ve managed to stay there since then. It’s been absolutely phenomenal and I’m just delighted to be in the team.

PGA Tour: Wyndham Championship – Si Woo Kim

Peterson

Si Woo Kim recorded his first ever PGA Tour victory on Sunday finishing ahead of Ryder Cup hopeful Luke Donald.

Kim, 21, shot a second-round 60 to take command in North Carolina, and sealed recorded his first win with an impressive closing round of 67.

Englishman Donald also shot a final round 67 for a 16-under total, but was left five shots adrift of Kim. The Medinah hero sent a timely reminder of his credentials for next month’s Ryder Cup at Hazeltine with a solid showing.

European Senior Tour: Scottish Senior Open – Paul Eales

Twenty two years after his last victory, at the 1994 Extremadura Open in Spain, Eales claimed victory at Archerfield Links by a shot from Peter Fowler and Santiago Luna.

The 53-year-old began the day seven back from Ronan Rafferty, the Northern Irishman had eight bogeys in a 78, and produced three birdies after the turn to get himself into contention. And he sealed the win with a 10-footer at the last before watching the last two groups finish off.

Luna required a birdie to match Eales but could only make par while Fowler had already signed for a 67. Fowler’s compatriot Mike Harwood had got to 12 under but then had three straight bogeys from the 14^th.

Eales becomes just the seventh player to win on the Challenge Tour, European Tour and European Senior Tour.

Is this the winning putt? Eales sinks a birdie on 18 and takes the clubhouse lead at -11. Luna trails by one. pic.twitter.com/H6Lgpuuc48

— European Senior Tour (@EuroSeniorTour) August 21, 2016

What Eales said: “I didn’t make many mistakes until the 8th when I missed a little tap-in, but Sharon encouraged me on the tenth tee and that became a bit of a springboard.

“It wasn’t until I made it to the 14^th green when you could see that the other guys were coming back. I knew I was in amongst it then. I putted on 17 and saw I was tied for the lead, so I thought ‘let’s see what happens down 18’. I pulled my shot to the green a little bit in the wind but it was just a question of picking my putting line and rolling it down; it went centre-cut and was brilliant.”

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