Bernd Wiesberger called it the best day of his life after a brilliant seven under par 65 gave him victory on home soil at the Lyoness Open powered by Greenfinity.
The Austrian hauled in overnight leader Thorbjørn Olesen and Frenchman Thomas Levet with four birdies in five holes around the turn.
The 26 year old from Vienna, which is less than an hour from Diamond Country Club, in Atzenbrugg, then hit the front with consecutive gains at the 15th and 16th holes, before finishing with a spectacular 30 foot putt on the final green for a 19 under par aggregate winning total.
It made Wiesberger the second Austrian to win his national Open – Markus Brier did it first in 2006 – and came just three months after his first European Tour victory at the Ballantine’s Championship.
“It’s the best day of my life so far,” he said. “It seems like it went my way, especially the last two holes.
“I had such a great country and such great fans backing me. I’m very proud to be following in such big footsteps [as Brier]. I’m sure I’m not going to be the last home winner.
“When José Manuel Lara holed a similar putt to win the tournament two years ago, I always imagined I’d have a putt like that to win here. I actually said that to my caddie walking up the 18th hole, and when it went in, I just couldn’t believe it.”
Olesen started the day with a three shot advantage, and promptly extended it to four with a birdie at the third hole.
But as the Dane parred his next ten holes, he was caught first by Levet and then Wiesberger, who after a quiet start to his final round almost holed his tee shot on the par three ninth hole, then sunk a 12 footer at the tenth, a 15 footer at the 12th and pitched to two feet on the 13th.
Olesen missed the green at the 14th and had his first bogey for 35 holes, allowing Wiesberger to hit the front with a five foot putt at the 15th, before leaving himself half that distance for birdie at the next.
If there were any doubts about whose day it was they vanished at the 17th, with Wiesberger’s errant tee shot clattering into a tree and bouncing into short semi-rough to leave him an angle to the green.
He took advantage with a par there to Levet’s bogey before his spectacular finish, while Olesen faded to fifth with two closing bogeys.
Levet’s bogey on the 17th allowed Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who picked up eight shots in his last 13 holes for a 66, to claim a share of second with the 43 year old on 16 under par.
“After an awful start I’m delighted with how I fought back,” said Lowry.
“I was two over after five holes, but then managed to go eagle-birdie-birdie, which really got my round back on track. I’ve played lovely all week, and today was no different – I just wish I was playing again next week. Still, a holiday in Portugal’s not a bad consolation.”
