Golfx3 claimed his first victory of the 2021 European eTour season with a gutsy performance at the Hero Open.
The 22-year-old from New Mexico in the United States defeated the legendary fmagnets in a high-quality match over the difficult Royal St Georges layout.
The final began in routine fashion with both competitors all square through the first four holes before fmagnets drove it onto the front edge of the 416 yard par fourfifth hole, leaving just a short pitch.
Golfx3 knew he had to respond with something special, and respond he did, holing out from 168 yards to secure an early lead with what must have been a devasting blow for fmagnets.
Golfx3 followed the eagle on five with a birdie at the par three sixth and a birdie three at the ninth, which saw his lead extend to 2Up as he made the turn.
fmagnets, who in seven events has three runner ups and four semi-final appearances to his name, was going to have to produce something extraordinary to secure his first eTour tournament victory.
However, everything that fmagnets came up with, Golfx3 was equal to the task including matching a birdie at the tricky par three 16th to maintain a 2Up lead, with two holes to play.
fmagnets, who has been working with a psychologist in recent months to help improve his competitive edge under pressure, proved why he is regarded as the best in the WGT game. A stunning mid iron into the 17th left him 12 feet for birdie which he duly converted to take the match down the 18th.
Again, fmagnets looked to put the pressure on Golfx3 with a drive that split a three-yard gap between two fairway bunkers, leaving just a short iron to the green. Gordley laid back in the fairway and then hit a conservative but solid eight iron to 10 feet.
Fmagnets hit another glorious approach shot to around 8 feet, leaving Golfx3 with a putt for the title.
Gordley converted, and with it took home the title, $5,000 in prize money and all important ranking points in the race for the Global Finals.
Golfx3 was delighted to be a winner again in what has been a slow start to the season.
“It feels great” said Gordley following his victory. “I thought I was going to throw it there towards the end, but managed to make a couple of important putts and here we are… This one means a lot”.
This was Gordley’s sixth eTour tournament victory, after an impressive 2020 campaign, where he emerged victorious in all but one eTour tournament including the season-ending Global Finals.
Jsmithers still leads the way in the race to the Global Finals rankings following his impressive start to season with victories at the BMW International Open and the Portugal Masters.
