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Otaegui and Hebert set for Antwerp showdown
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Otaegui and Hebert set for Antwerp showdown

Adrian Otaegui and Benjamin Hebert were the last men standing as the Belgian Knockout got set for a dramatic finish at Rinkven International Golf Club.

Adrian Otaegui

The duo were both five under after 36 holes over days one and two and then won five matches of nine-hole stroke play knockout over the weekend to make it into Sunday's final from a field of 144.

After a quarter-final victory over fellow Spaniard Jorge Campillo, Otaegui beat Scot David Drysdale by four shots in the last four, while Hebert overcame England's James Heath by one after winning an all-French battle against Mike Lorenzo-Vera in the last eight.

His performance so far in Antwerp has already brought Otaegui a sixth consecutive top 20 finish and the knockout specialist will now go in search of a second European Tour title after winning the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play last season.

Drysdale had a nightmare start, going right off the first tee and having to chip out before missing the green and failing to get up and down to surrender a double-bogey.

It looked like things could get worse when he had to take a drop from the left rough on the second but a stunning third shot and excellent putt from the fringe kept him just two behind Otaegui, who started with two pars.

A three-putt from Drysdale on the fourth then led to another bogey and with Otaegui staying steady, the lead was three shots.

A 15-foot putt from Otaegui brought his first birdie of the match on the fifth but he missed the green off the tee on the sixth to give it straight back.

He could not quite drive the green on the seventh but got down in two putts from close to 100 feet, with Drysdale also making a birdie to keep the gap at three.

They both took advantage of the par five next before a stunning approach to the last handed Otaegui another gain and a three under par total.

Hebert has been a picture of consistency in recent seasons, finishing 65th, 64th and 64th on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex, but the six-time Challenge Tour winner is still looking for a first European Tour win.

Heath and Hebert both parred their first two holes but a stunning tee-shot to six feet on the par three third from the 35 year old handed him a one-shot lead, before a flier on the next resulted in a bogey that evened the scores.

A wonderful approach to three feet from Hebert handed him a birdie on the fifth and an excellent tee-shot to close range on the par three next meant he led by two with three to play.

Heath responded by diving the short par four seventh to set up a birdie and when he took advantage of the par five next, with Hebert having to scrap for a par, they were tied together heading up the last.

Heath did well to make a par after just missing the green to put the pressure on but Hebert holed from 15 feet down the slope for a birdie and a one-shot victory at three under.

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