Beijing, China: Alexander Levy beat overnight leader Dylan Frittelli at the first play-off hole to become the first player to win the OneAsia-sanctioned Volvo China Open for a second time.
The bearded Levy sank a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-five 18th hole in sudden-death to pip the highly-rated Frittelli, who let slip a four-shot lead during a nervy back nine at Topwin Golf and Country Club.
Frenchman Levy grabbed a birdie at the last hole in regulation for a 67 while South African Frittelli, in the group behind, failed to find the birdie that would have clinched the title. He settled for a par and a two-over 74 to match Levy’s four-round total of 17-under 271.
“This win means a lot,” said 26-year-old Levy, who lifted the Volvo China Open for the first time in 2014. “It is an amazing feeling to be back in the winner’s circle.”
Frittelli was seemingly cruising to victory with a four-stroke lead at the turn, before pressure kicked in. The 26-year-old Challenge Tour graduate had a disastrous double-bogey seven at the par-five 12th, after finding trouble off the tee, and a bogey at the par-three 16th where his tee shot came to rest beside a big rock.
He kept his nose in front thanks to great putts at the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th but Levy tied him at the top with his birdie at the last. The Frenchman only started to figure in the equation after a birdie at the 15th which saw him draw to within a shot of Frittelli.
“I am really happy with what I did today. I want to say happy birthday to my caddy whose birthday it is today,” said Levy, after clinching his fifth title on the European Tour.
Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal – three shots adrift of Frittelli after three rounds – had a disappointing day but a birdie on the final hole saw him grab outright third spot, missing the play-off by one shot, after a level-par 72.
He was a stroke ahead of Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, who closed with a 67, and England’s Chris Wood, in with a 68.
YE Yang, Asia’s first Major champion and a two-time OneAsia winner, leapt up the leaderboard to joint sixth with a closing 66 that included seven birdies and a solitary bogey.
Defending champion Li Haotong of China, like Yang twice a OneAsia champion, finished with a 70 which was good enough for equal 11th place.
Korea’s Cho Rak, who claimed a place in the Volvo China Open by virtue of winning the 2017 OneAsia Qualifying School, rounded off the tournament with a 71 for a four-round total of eight-under 280.
The Volvo China Open was the first event on OneAsia’s 2017 schedule and was jointly sanctioned with the European Tour. Next week, OneAsia moves to Korea for the GS Caltex Maekyung Open at Nam Seoul Country Club.