An incredible back nine 28 saw Felipe Aguilar claim the clubhouse lead as a thrilling finish unravelled in The Championship at Laguna National
Denmark’s Anders Hansen appeared to have put himself on course for a first European Tour win in five years as the final round began in Singapore.
But Aguilar sunk a ten footer for birdie at the difficult 17th then holed his approach for eagle at the last, his two-two finish completing a closing 62 and setting the clubhouse target at 22 under.
The 43 year old Hansen, playing only his fourth event since a six month absence due to wrist surgery, was on the same mark with three holes to play.
Hansen started the day level with Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat but surged ahead with a hat-trick of birdies from the second.
The three-time European Tour winner had to overcome a bogey at the first after missing a par putt from inside five feet.
However, pitches to three feet at the second and third set up birdies and a 20 foot putt at the fourth took him to 18 under par for the week.
Hansen added further birdies from five feet at the sixth and 12 feet at the seventh to go four clear, but American David Lipsky responded with gains at the eighth and ninth to bring the gap back down to two.
Aguilar, who led the tournament before finding water and double bogeying the 13th during round three, had a hat-trick of gains to start the back nine and as a result moved into sole possession of third on 17 under.
The Chilean, whose only previous European Tour title came in neighbouring Indonesia, made it four birdies in a row at the 13th to join Lipsky on 18 under, but Hansen holed form 15 feet on the 12th to pull three clear of his nearest pursuers.
Both Aguilar and Hansen birdied the long 15th, but the former’s incredible finish left the Dane needing another gain over the closing stretch to avoid a play-off.
Hansen failed to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the 16th, but did hole a four foot clutch putt for par at the next.
As a result he required a birdie at the last to force a play-off.
