Søren Kjeldsen was left to rue missed chances as he finished in a tie for second at the Made in Denmark.
The 40 year old was one of the star attractions all week at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort, and was presented with an ice bucket by The European Tour for reaching 500 appearances at the US PGA Championship.
On Thursday, banners were handed out around the 16th green to celebrate the achievement and the four-time European Tour winner admitted after an opening 66 that it had been the "best day I've ever had on a golf course".
He had the chance to top it on Sunday as, despite starting the day seven shots behind eventual winner David Horsey, the popular Dane got himself to within one shot of the leader before a bogey on the last.
Makeable birdie chances had lipped out on both the 11th and 14th - where he missed from three feet - and Kjeldsen admitted he had mixed feelings after coming so close to winning his home tournament.
"I'm really pleased with the way I played," he said. "I hit the ball great all day in quite tricky conditions as the wind was up.
"I made a couple of good putts on nine and ten to save par, but I had a lot of chances on the way in that I didn't take.
"It's pretty hard to take, but I was pleased that I gave myself the chances. I desperately want to go back and hit a few of those putts again.
"I felt like I did all the hard work to get myself in position, but I slipped a bit at the end. It wasn't easy at all. I'm pleased with how I played but I'm desperately unhappy about not finishing it off."
Kjeldsen was cheered on by 24,112 fans on Sunday, taking the total for the week to 86,498, and he was grateful for the support shown to him as the Made in Denmark was once again a spectacle to remember.
"It's taken a lot out of me, but the spectators have been great," he said. "All their energy that they brought – it wasn't possible to stop, I had to keep going for them.
"It was so nice to feel how much they wanted me to do well. A big, big thanks to all of them."
