RORY McIlroy was a five-foot putt away from becoming the third youngest winner in European Tour history yesterday – and then saw it all go horribly wrong.
The 19-year-old Northern Irishman lost the Omega European Masters to Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin at the second hole of a play-off at Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland.
After his par attempt on the 72nd hole had failed and he had angrily thrown
his ball into the water by the green McIlroy had another chance to take the title at the start of sudden death. However, his 15-foot attempt missed as well and, hard though it was to believe, worse was to follow.
Playing the 405-yard 18th for the third time he hit a 25-foot birdie putt 18 inches past the cup and incredibly missed that too.
Lucquin, 12 feet away, suddenly had victory in his grasp and with two for it needed only one to lift his first European Tour title in 175 attempts.
"Obviously I am very disappointed," said McIlroy. "
I played very well all week and played well coming down the stretch, but unfortunately one bad shot cost me.
"He had been four clear with a round to play, but after bogeys at the second and third suddenly found himself one behind.
However, last year's leading amateur at The Open moved one ahead again by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt at the long 15th. By getting down in a chip and a putt on the next two holes he stood on the last needing another par for the trophy.
Going over the green gave Lucquin hope, though, and after his chip had run just past the edge of the hole he was one shot from glory. But 11 shots later it was all over and he was the loser.
The pair had tied on the 13-under-par total of 271, Lucquin closing with a 67 to McIlroy's bitterly disappointing level-par 71.
Joint third only one behind were Ryder Cup Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, Scot Gary Orr, Swiss player Julien Clement and another Frenchman, Christian Cevaer.
Meanwhile, England's Melissa Reid blew a six-stroke overnight lead to lose the Nykredit Masters in Denmark by one stroke to Germany's Martina Eberl.
The 20-year-old carded a level-par 73 to finish runner-up on 13 under as she was overtaken by Eberl, who shot a 66 at Simon's Golf Club.
Sweden's Annika Sorenstam, playing in her last tournament in Europe before retiring from golf at the end of the year, finished third on nine under after a closing 71.
• Camilo Villegas picked up a birdie to establish a one-stroke lead over Jim Furyk when the third round was completed at the BMW Championship yesterday.
Villegas, who had five holes left when competition was halted in fading light on Saturday night, was among 23 players who had to resume at first light. The Colombian
made a tap-in par at his final hole for a four-under-par 66. He posted a 13-under 197 total, with American Furyk alone in second place on 12-under.
The full article contains 533 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
