European Tour

Porsche European Open 2018

July 26-29

Green Eagle Golf Courses, Winsen, Germany

€2,000,000

July 26-29

Green Eagle Golf Courses, Winsen, Germany

€2,000,000

Round 4

Richard the lionheart seals dream victory in Hamburg

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

July 29, 2018

Richard McEvoy claimed a dream maiden European Tour victory at the Porsche European Open as the Englishman overcame World Number 23 Bryson DeChambeau, Masters Champion Patrick Reed and a host of pretenders to the throne in a dramatic final day battle, courtesy of a birdie at the last.

- Getty Images

The 39 year old's win comes in his 285 th European Tour appearance, 17 years after making his debut on the tour and just seven days after triumphing on the developmental European Challenge Tour.

“It's incredible. I've waited a long time, 17 years as a pro on and off the Tour, from Challenge Tour to European Tour. I'm absolutely over the moon."

“I did exactly the same last week winning on the Challenge Tour, I've tried to enjoy my golf as much as possible. Not that I haven't been before but I just needed to that little bit more and it's just come up trumps."

There were twists and turns aplenty at Green Eagle Golf Courses as the leaders struggled in the afternoon wind but McEvoy played a safe game throughout and, having shared the lead with DeChambeau heading into the final round, a one over closing 73 was enough.

“It was a rollercoaster ride today, big time. I fought hard, I believed and even at the last hole I overpowered my caddie to lay it up to give myself the best opportunity to make birdie and I managed to do that."

“Last week on the Challenge Tour obviously was another boost to the confidence and it's come good again this week. It was a lot of hard work, a lot of bad years, a lot of good years and it never quite happened. But it was my time on the 18th green, holing that putt, so I'm very pleased.”

With German amateur Allen John - who is profoundly deaf and won gold at last year's Deaflympics - Swede Christofer Blomstrand and Italy's Renato Paratore all in the clubhouse on ten under par, McEvoy required a birdie four on the risk-reward par five 18 th hole to avoid a four-way play-off.

Against the advice of his caddie, the three-time Challenge Tour winner opted to lay up and that decision paid dividends when he knocked his third shot to 15 feet and duly holed the putt for an 11 under total, and an emotional first European Tour success.

“It's been absolutely incredible," said John. "The atmosphere out there, the people that've been walking with me for all of the 18 holes, it's just an incredible feeling."

"Making birdie after birdie on the back nine was quite cool and when I was on 18 I saw the leaderboard and I was like 'wow, I'm pretty much in contention'. It's a pretty cool feeling."

“I was so in the moment that I didn't really notice anything around me. The concentration and the routine of doing the same stuff over and over and just play the best shot that I can. That pretty much helped me to finish 18 holes without any distractions."