The Debrief: ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics

Daniel Brown and Alex Pano broke through for maiden victories at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics, as Alex Fitzpatrick continues to impress and Eddie Pepperell recorded his best result of the season with a set of clubs made up for him after his failed to arrive.

Dan Brown claims maiden victory in Northern Ireland

Daniel Brown claimed his maiden DP World Tour victory in just his 20th start as he held his nerve for a five-shot win at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics to become the 13th first time winner on Tour this season.

The Englishman had been top of the leaderboard since carding an opening 64 and entered the final day with a six-shot lead, and stayed out in front the entire way despite a brilliant final round from Alex Fitzpatrick that at one point had Brown just two shots clear.

It has been a long road to the winner's circle for Brown, who played his first DP World Tour event at the 2015 KLM Open but had to wait seven years and two months for his second appearance.

In between he played on the EuroPro Tour and European Challenge Tour, playing no Ranking events in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, before earning his full playing privileges on the Challenge Tour for 2022 thanks to his third runner-up finish of the 2021 EuroPro Tour campaign at the season-ending Matchroom Tour Championship.

He finished 30th on last season's Road to Mallorca before graduating from the Qualifying School and after making 16 of 19 cuts this season - including his first 13 - and securing three top tens, he can now put a first professional victory on his CV at the age of 28.

"It feels amazing," said Brown, who moves to 35th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex after 12 consecutive sub-70 rounds. "I could never have dreamed this up in the past however many years and months."

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Alex Pano's "surreal" birthday delight

Alex Pano called her maiden victory 'surreal' after coming out on top of a three-way play-off to win her first LPGA and LET title on her 19th birthday at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational Presented by AVIV Clinics - held on the same courses at the same time as the men.

Pano, who had her dad on the bag and birdied her last two holes of the day for a final round 66 to end her tournament at eight-under-par, finished in a tie with Germany’s Esther Henseleit and England’s Gabriella Cowley.

She and Cowley both made birdie on their first trip back up the 18th, and traded pars on the second play-off hole despite Pano finding the trees off the tee. On the third and final trip up the 18th, Pano found the green in two, and a two-putt birdie was enough to secure her maiden title.

“I’ve kind of been saying that I really wanted to win this event because it’s on my birthday,” said the LPGA Tour rookie.

“My best friend can contest it’s been for like two months. It feels so surreal that it’s happened. It’s been a little bit crazy because I didn’t have my clothes and clubs earlier in the week, but it’s all worth it.

“It just feels so surreal right now to have my dad on the bag as well. I can’t actually process that that just happened.”

Alex Fitzpatrick continues impressive summer

Following his maiden Challenge Tour victory two weeks ago, Alex Fitzpatrick continues to impress on the DP World Tour with a runner-up finish that saw him push winner Daniel Brown on the final day.

The Englishman began his day with back to back birdies, carding five overall and three bogeys to end his week with a final round 68, leaving him in solo second on ten under par. At one point he cut the lead to two strokes, eventually ending five behind and recording his best finish in a DP World Tour event.

It's the continuation of a hot streak for Fitzpatrick, who was tied for 17th at The Open at Royal Liverpool last month, and is currently primed to step up next season as he sits second on the Road to Mallorca Rankings on the Challenge Tour.

Pepperell's best result of the season

Eddie Pepperell said in a recent interview that after pouring over results and performances led him to a realisation that he typically performs his best not only when he plays in Europe, but when he plays between the months of July and October. Something that he proved to be right this week, with a third place finish - his best of the season - on seven under par.

Despite his golf clubs not arriving, he carded rounds of 70-68-68-68 with a set of clubs built for him on-site on Wednesday.

Shot of a champion

Shots like this are how Daniel Brown secured his five stroke victory.