SUNDAY APRIL 29, 2012 – BALLANTINE’S CHAMPIONSHIP
• His first European Tour International Schedule victory in his 71st European Tour event.
• Moves to €438,464 in The Race to Dubai.
• Moved to 95th in the Official World Golf Ranking from 170th.
• This victory beats his previous best European Tour finishes of second in the 2011 SA Open Championship (Nov 2011) and tied second in the 2011 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
• Becomes the sixth first-time winner of the 2012 European Tour International Schedule. They are: Branden Grace (Joburg Open), Jbe’ Kruger (Avantha Masters), Julien Quesne (Open de Andalucía Costa del Sol), Thorbjørn Olesen (Sicilian Open), Bubba Watson (Masters Tournament) and Bernd Wiesberger (Ballantine’s Championship).
• Becomes the third player from Austria to win on The European Tour. He joins Markus Brier and Martin Wiegele.
• The first Austrian victory on The European Tour since Martin Wiegele at the 2010 SAINT-OMER OPEN presented by Neuflize OBC.
• His victory comes after leading going into the final round. (His five shot 54 hole lead is the biggest of the 2012 season so far and also the biggest in the history of the Ballantine’s Championship).This is the first time he has led going into the final round of a European Tour event.
• His five shot winning margin is the largest on The European Tour in 2012. He beats the four shots of Paul Lawrie (Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy).
• His five shot winning margin is largest in the history of the Ballantine’s Championship, beating the four shots of Marcus Fraser in 2010.
• Played the last 59 holes without dropping a shot. He last went over par when he took a double-bogey at the par three 13th in round one.
• Aged 26 years and 204 days becomes the youngest winner of the Ballantine’s Championship.
• Becomes the first player to make the Ballantine’s Championship their first European Tour victory.
• Victory came in his debut in the Ballantine’s Championship.
OTHER FACTS
• The fourth Austrian victory in European Tour history.
• The 403rd different player to win on The European Tour.
• Gains a European Tour exemption until the end of the 2014 season.
• Gains his largest European Tour prize of €367,500.
• Moves over €1 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings.
• Gains a place in the 2012 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational, WGC – HSBC Champions and 2013 Volvo Golf Champions.
• Gains his third win as a professional.
• Becomes the 12th European Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player on the 2012 European Tour from 16 events so far. They are: Louis Oosthuizen (Africa Open and Maybank Malaysian Open), Branden Grace (Joburg Open, Volvo Golf Champions and Volvo China Open), Robert Rock (Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Omega Dubai Desert Classic), Justin Rose (WGC – Cadillac Championship), Julien Quesne (Open de Andalucía Costa del Sol), Michael Hoey (Trophée Hassan II), Thorbjørn Olesen (Sicilian Open) and Bernd Wiesberger (Ballantine’s Championship).
• Becomes the 296th European Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player.
• Becomes the 125th different former Challenge Tour player to win on The European Tour.
