Ross McGowan birdied two of his last three holes on Sunday to win his second European Tour title at the 2020 Italian Open – 11 years and 15 days after he claimed his first.
His last professional title came last year in the D+D Real Czech Challenge on the Challenge Tour, but before that, his last win was the Mopani Redpath Zambia Open on the Sunshine Tour when he held off Daniel van Tonder for the title in 2015. He has been a regular on the South Africa circuit as he sought to rebuild his game.
The Englishman entered the final day at Chervo Golf Club alongside countryman Laurie Canter three shots clear of the field but they were reeled in on a dramatic afternoon in Brescia.
At one point late in the day there were eight players within one shot of the lead before McGowan holed a spectacular bunker shot at the 16th to knock Canter out of the lead for the first time in over 72 hours.
Canter hit back with a birdie from six feet on the par three 17th but McGowan put his third into the par five last to 20 feet and holed the putt for a 71, a 20-under-par total and a one-shot victory over Canter and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts.
German Sebastian Heisele finished at 18-under, a shot clear of countryman and two-time major champion Martin Kaymer, Spaniard Adri Arnaus, South African Dean Burmester, Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell and Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan.
Bryce Easton closed with a 68 to finish on 14-under for the week in a share of 16th. Louis de Jager battled his way to a level-par 72 in the final round to finish 13-under in a share of 22nd.
With reporting from The European Tour
