Thomas Pieters wins Portugal Masters after Matthieu Pavon slips up in pursuit of European Tour title

Leaderboard

-19 Pieters

-17 Pavon, Bjerregaard, N Hojgaard

-13 Jordan, Bertasio

-12 Laporta

Report

Thomas Pieters capitalised on two costly mistakes from Matthieu Pavon to win a dramatic renewal of the Portugal Masters.

Pieters fired a final-round 68 to win by two, getting the better of a protracted duel with Pavon and fending off a charge from Nicolai Hojgaard, who shared second with the Frenchman and Lucas Bjerregaard.

If it sounds like a simple Sunday for a class act who started it as an odds-on favourite, it was anything but as the European Tour threw up more drama.

Pavon, seeking his first professional title, moved two shots clear through 10 holes with four birdies on a blemish-free scorecard as he stood tall under pressure - for a time.

The tournament changed complexion spectacularly at the par-five 12th hole where Pavon twice found water on the way to a triple-bogey eight, as Pieters holed from off the green to move into a two-shot lead of his own.

Pavon drew level again with birdies at the 13th and 15th before Pieters holed an excellent par save at the par-three 16th after missing the green with his tee-shot.

Still tied heading to the 17th, Pavon again came unstuck on a par-five, finding water with his second and running up a bogey. Pieters, who had sent a towering second into the heart of the green, two-putted for birdie and again his lead was two.

There was time for more tension at the final hole as Pavon fired his approach inside 15 feet and Pieters faced a par putt of almost twice that, but the Belgian finally ended matters by holing to seal a two-shot victory.

“It does (feel like a long time),” said an emotional Pieters. “Two years is a long time. I’ve had a child in the meantime, who talks and runs around, it does feel like a long time.

“I was going into this week and next week with my back to the wall. I had nothing to lose but everything to gain.

“I’ve never missed the end of the Race to Dubai and really didn’t want to miss it. I didn’t care if I finished first, second or third. I just wanted to get there, but winning is amazing.”