France’s Romain Langasque overturned a five-shot deficit to win his first European Tour title in the ISPS Handa Wales Open.
Leaderboard
-8 Langasque
-6 Valimaki
-5 Dixon, Jordan
-4 Canter, Soderberg, Morrison
Day four report
France’s Romain Langasque overturned a five-shot deficit to win his first European Tour title in the ISPS Handa Wales Open.
Langasque carded six birdies and no bogeys in a superb closing 65 at Celtic Manor to finish eight under par and two shots ahead of Finland’s Sami Valimaki, with England’s David Dixon and Matthew Jordan a shot further back.
Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg needed to birdie the 18th to force a play-off but ran up a triple bogey eight after spinning his third shot back into the water.
Scotland’s Connor Syme, who shared the overnight lead with Soderberg, also found the water on the last to double bogey and slip into a tie for eighth.
Langasque told Sky Sports: “I was playing really good since the start of the week and was only focusing on my own thing, and I’m so happy the way I played the back nine.
“I had so many birdie opportunities and the second shot on 16 and the tee shot on 17 were my two best shots of the week.
“It’s one of the first times I didn’t really feel the pressure because I was really focused on every shot and the first I felt pressure was the wedge to 18 because I was looking to have a longer shot.
“It was not easy because I was too close and the two-putt was under pressure but before that I was really cool.”
The victory will take Langasque inside the world’s top 100 for the first time and also secured a US Open debut next month via the mini order of merit from the first five events on the European Tour’s UK Swing.
“In golf everything can go so quickly,” the 25-year-old added. “I’m really, really happy, this is where we all want to be and now I will have some good opportunities and need to focus again and play my best golf.”
Day three report
Connor Syme made a birdie on the last to get back into a share of the lead heading into the final round of the ISPS Handa Wales Open at Celtic Manor.
The Scot has now held the lead or a share of the lead in four of his last five rounds but crucially did not when the trophy was given out at last week’s Celtic Classic, finishing in a tie for third.
But he will have another chance to claim a first win on a top-tier circuit after his 18-foot putt on the par five 18th handed him a third-round 70 and moved him alongside Swede Sebastian Soderberg at seven under.
The European Tour is playing the second of back-to-back events at the 2010 Ryder Cup venue and Syme is delighted to be in contention again in windy South Wales.
“Finding myself in the same position as last week, I’ll just try and do the same stuff I’ve been doing all week,” he told europeantour.com.
“I don’t think it’s going to be quite as windy tomorrow but it’s a different challenge with that compared to last week. Pars will probably more your friend than birdies whereas last week you felt you had to attack a little bit more. It’ll be the same game plan as last week and try give myself a chance coming down the back nine.
“It would be amazing to win, having come close last week. You don’t really know how many times you’ll get those opportunities so it’s another one tomorrow. If it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world, but hopefully I’m going to play well tomorrow and give myself a chance.”
Soderberg defeated Rory McIlroy as part of a five-man play-off to win last season’s Omega European Masters and he fired a bogey-free 68 to give himself a chance of a second victory inside 12 months.
“It feels great to be in position, I just try and stay patient,” he said. “If it’s the same wind tomorrow, it’s so easy for it to just get away from you so every shot is a battle, even in the downwind holes.
“If you start losing focus it’s easy to make some big numbers. I just need to keep battling shot by shot.”
Finn Sami Valimaki was four under, a shot clear of Ryder Cup players Edoardo Molinari and Thomas Pieters, with English duo David Dixon and James Morrison in a group at two under.
Day two report
Scotland’s Connor Syme defied “brutal” conditions to remain on course for a maiden European Tour title in the ISPS Handa Wales Open at Celtic Manor.
Syme overcame strong winds to add a second round of 70 to his opening 66 and finish six under par, two shots ahead of fellow Scot Liam Johnston, Jordan Smith, Sebastian Soderberg, Li Haotong, Nacho Elvira and Sihwan Kim.
The 25-year-old held a one-shot lead after 54 holes of the Celtic Classic at the same venue last week, but had to settle for a share of third place following a final round of 71 which was compiled either side of a two-hour lightning delay.
“That was brutal, to be honest,” Syme said. “I thought yesterday was tough, but going through what we went through there, we got quite lucky yesterday.
“It was a real grind, some of the hardest conditions I’ve played in. Practising on the putting green it (the ball) was moving a lot so I wasn’t sure if we were going to get started, but I’m delighted with 70.
“Although both my bogeys (on the third and 16th) were three putts, it was one of those days where you’re just trying to find the green and missing it on the correct side was key, to be honest.
“Obviously it’s a course I’m getting to like. I’m really just rolling with the same confidence from last week. It’s weird going through the yardage book from last week and I’d draw a line under it and start with new pins.
“I was thinking it’s a new week and just knuckle down and start again. I’m definitely taking confidence from last week but obviously I was fully focused on this week when I teed off.”
Smith questioned whether play should have taken place in the bad weather, despite remaining in contention for a second European Tour title following a 72.
“I feel like I’ve been out there a week,” Smith, who won the European Open in 2017, said.
“It was borderline out there with how quick those greens were and the wind. I don’t think we should have been out there but you’ve got to deal with it and get on and that’s what we did and managed to grind out a score.
“On the second (hole) me and Matt (Southgate) probably had 10-footers for eagle and we just wanted to get it down there as close as we can, we weren’t even thinking about holing them.
“It was just one of those days but I’m happy to be in and happy with one over, really happy. I thought it was going to be a battle and it was. I managed to control the ball flight really well and if I did get into any bad spots managed to get out.”
England’s Sam Horsfield, who is seeking back-to-back wins at Celtic Manor and a third victory in the space of four weeks, is eight shots off the lead after adding a 71 to his opening 73.
Day one report
Jordan Smith, a 35/1 pre-tournament tip from Ben Coley, has a share of the lead thanks to an opening round 66 in the Wales Open.
Scotland’s Connor Syme played himself into contention to make up for last week’s near miss at Celtic Manor by also shooting 66 at the same venue.
Syme carded seven birdies and two bogeys to claim a share of the lead with England’s Smith on five under par, with Robert MacIntyre, Sebastian Soderberg, Callum Shinkwin and Kurt Kitayama sharing third place on three under.
Syme held a one-shot lead after 54 holes of the Celtic Classic but had to settle for a share of third place following a final round of 71 which was compiled either side of a two-hour lightning delay.
“We were thinking a little bit about how they might change the golf course but the wind has certainly done that for us – a completely different direction and a lot stronger,” the 25-year-old said.
“It was a good round, I had to plan my way around differently but I did that and holed a few nice putts which was a bonus.
“I took a lot of confidence from last week. It was a new experience for me having a 54-hole lead and I really enjoyed it. I’m trying to get back into those positions as much as I can.
“It’s a long way to go and I think tomorrow is going to be a tough day (with bad weather) so it’s just like jockeying for position a little bit the first two days, but I’m up the top end of the leaderboard, which is good, and can hopefully kick on a little bit tomorrow.”
Asked how valuable his experience of last week could prove, Syme added: “Massively. You never really know how you’re going to handle it all until you’re in those situations, sleeping a little bit different on a lead was obviously new.
“Having won on the Challenge Tour has definitely helped me. I’m drawing on all the experiences, trying to build the bank up as much as I can and I guess today was another one of those.”
Smith finished 22nd last week and feels his game is getting back on track after making swing changes during the enforced shutdown of the European Tour due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I did a lot of work in lockdown and the missed cut at Forest of Arden was probably a blessing in disguise,” the 27-year-old said.
“We’d probably gone a bit too far with what we were working on with the swing and just getting it back more neutral. That’s definitely helped the last few weeks, I’ve been able to control the ball a lot better.”
Sam Horsfield’s bid for back-to-back wins at Celtic Manor and a third victory in the space of four weeks got off to a flying start with three birdies in the first five holes, but the 23-year-old eventually signed for a two-over-par 73.
