The Debrief - KLM Open

Sergio Garcia held on to claim a one shot victory and become the first Spanish winner of the KLM Open since Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño in 2005.

The 2017 Masters Tournament Champion led by two shots at the fifth hole and seemed on course for a routine victory, only to trail playing partner Callum Shinkwin by one shot at the seventh following successive bogeys on a mixed front nine at The International.

However, a double bogey at the tenth by the Englishman gave Garcia hope as he carded three birdies and a bogey to card a total of 18 under par and hold off Danish rising star Nicolai Højgaard for his 16th European Tour title.

The KLM Open was hosting its 100th edition of the tournament, dating back to 1912, which coincided with event sponsor KLM - the Dutch airline - celebrating their centenary year in business.

Here is everything you need to know from a special week in Amsterdam.

Beat the Pro! is a success

Beat the Pro! was a challenge where an amateur golfer can win flights courtesy of event sponsor KLM to a destination of their choice, if they land their tee shot on the green and closest to the pin against the professionals. There were winners on each day of tournament, with 12-year-old Vince Komen on Thursday, former Dutch footballer Ronald de Boer on day two, former two time European Tour winner Anthony Wall on Saturday and 14-year-old Britt op den Winkel during the final round. The professionals enjoyed the initiative and so did the fans, who piled in to get seats at the 13th hole on all four days of the tournament. Let’s watch watch Komen’s effort.

Susan Hosang: 100 year-old playing at the KLM Open

The talk of the first day at the KLM Open was about none other than 100-year-old Susan Hosang. The Hilversum native only took up the sport 30 years ago - at the tender age of 70 - but she went head to head against some of the European Tour’s top professionals in Beat the Pro!, which took place at The international. Hosang opponents were 2016 Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters, 2017 Masters Tournament champion Patrick Reed and four time European Tour winner Matt Wallace - Thursday morning’s marquee group. However, the 100-year-old gained the biggest cheer of the day despite sending her driver into the rough on the right, proving it is never too late to pick up a golf club.

Round three = Day in the sand part one

Joost Luiten and Callum Shinkwin provided some superb bunker play for the Amsterdam crowd in the third round. Two time event winner Luiten dumped his tee shot into a greenside bunker at the par three seventh and any hope of a birdie two would have gone out the window for most. But the home favourite delicately scooped the ball out of the sand trap and into the cup to send the gallery wild.

Round three = Day in the sand part two

Shinkwin was in a tie for the lead alongside playing partner Garcia when he approached the ninth hole on Saturday. The ninth had been one of the most difficult at The International, but the Englishman produced an exquisite shot to pop the ball out of the bunker and into the hole at dead weight for an unlikely birdie to jump ahead at 13 under.

Nicolai Højgaard - Remember the name

The Danish rising star was making just his seventh European Tour start in the Netherlands, but he proved why 2018 Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn called him and twin brother Rasmus as players to watch out for. Only he and eventual winner Garcia carded four rounds in the 60s in Amsterdam in an impressive performance from the 18-year-old. Three birdies in four holes on the back nine had Højgaard in a tie for the lead with four holes remaining before a bogey at the 17th looked to have derailed his chance of victory. However, he slid an eagle putt by the hole at the last which would have forced a play-off.

Home favourites produce the goods in Amsterdam

There were a lot to cheer about for the locals at The International. Luiten finished in a tie for tenth at ten under but there were two Dutch players who made names for themselves in their homeland. Wil Besseling was the highest placed Dutchman of the 2019 Open, finishing one shot better than Luiten at 11 under, Rowin Caron was in the lead during the first round while amateur Koen Kouwenaar showed some fine touches to make the cut - and almost carded an ace on Saturday.