Daniel Gavins survives final-hole drama to win Ras Al Khaimah Championship

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The Englishman held his nerve to hole for a double-bogey seven on the 18th and clinch a one-shot victory.
Posted on
February 5, 2023
by
The Editorial Team in ,
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

England’s Daniel Gavins survived an incredible final-hole blunder to claim his second DP World Tour title in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Gavins was in danger of squandering a three-shot lead when he twice found the water on the par-five 18th at Al Hamra Golf Club, only to hole from 25 feet for a double-bogey seven.

That gave the 31-year-old a total of 17 under par and a one-shot victory over Alexander Björk and Zander Lombard, who was unable to convert an eagle putt from 24 feet on the last to force a play-off.

“I’m pretty speechless to be honest,” Gavins, who did not have a practice round this week due to a back injury, told Sky Sports.

“I’ve been struggling off the tee the last two weeks and it’s not a very nice tee shot to have (on 18), even with a two-shot lead.

“It was a difficult hole to get through and to be fair I thought I was holing that putt for a play-off. I didn’t realise Bjork had made bogey.

“I’d put two in the water and I thought that’s one way to end the tournament. I sunk the putt and went to the back of the green and saw that I was actually winning still. It was kind of a big shock.”

Gavins began the day two shots off the lead held by Lombard and bogeyed the first hole, but responded brilliantly to birdie the next five in succession before another birdie on the eighth gave him a two-stroke lead.

Bogeys on the ninth and 12th dropped Gavins back into a tie for the lead with Bjork, but the 31-year-old birdied the 14th and 15th to move two clear again before the drama unfolded on 18.

Having driven into the water, Gavins hit an ideal drive with his second ball but was unaware that, in the group ahead, Bjork had three-putted from long range for a closing bogey.

Gavins therefore chose not to lay up with his fourth shot and hit a fairway wood into the water before taking a penalty drop, pitching on to the green and holing from 25 feet to seal a remarkable win.

Lombard had fallen four shots off the lead following an erratic first 10 holes containing an eagle, one birdie and five bogeys, but birdied the 11th and 12th and narrowly failed to eagle the last to force extra holes.

Pos.PlayerTo ParR1R2R3R4Total
1GAVINS, Daniel-1768666869271
2BJÖRK, Alexander-1667696868272
LOMBARD, Zander-1669686372272
4MERONK, Adrian-1568657565273
OLESEN, Thorbjørn-1572686667273
6HOSHINO, Rikuya-1470676869274
ARNAUS, Adri-1469696769274
HØJGAARD, Rasmus-1466676873274
9FISHER, Ross-1370716965275
PAVON, Matthieu-1371656772275
11FOX, Ryan-1267726869276
LAW, David-1269647271276
13HELLIGKILDE, Marcus-1170667566277
PEREZ, Victor-1173676968277
BESSELING, Wil-1168667469277
CABRERA BELLO, Rafa-1171667070277
GUERRIER, Julien-1170696672277
HØJGAARD, Nicolai-1171666773277
19SCHNEIDER, Marcel-1070697465278
JORDAN, Matthew-1071657468278
KIMSEY, Nathan-1068716871278
VEERMAN, Johannes-1068706971278
23STALTER, Joël-971677269279
BALDWIN, Matthew-966697371279
25MANSELL, Richard-873677070280
HARRINGTON, Padraig-869707071280
WARREN, Marc-869716674280
28KO, Jeong weon-772707267281
HIDALGO, Angel-772697268281
DEL REY, Alejandro-773677269281
NEMECZ, Lukas-769717269281
DE JAGER, Louis-768717270281
WHITNELL, Dale-771637671281
HISATSUNE, Ryo-764707572281
HUNDEBØLL, Oliver-767736972281
36RITCHIE, JC-672697170282
OTAEGUI, Adrian-672707070282
COETZEE, George-671657472282
HIGA, Kazuki-667746873282
BROWN, Daniel-670716774282
MCKIBBIN, Tom-670716774282
42NORRIS, Shaun-571717170283
SANTOS, Ricardo-571717170283
LAWRENCE, Thriston-573687171283
MOLINARI, Edoardo-566727372283
BRADBURY, Dan-571696974283
HILLIER, Daniel-570696876283
48COLSAERTS, Nicolas-472687569284
NØRGAARD, Niklas-470717172284
SYME, Connor-471687273284
51HUIZING, Daan-371717370285
RAVETTO, David-372707271285
FERGUSON, Ewen-370727172285
SENIOR, Jack-370707273285
HUTSBY, Sam-370707075285
56FORREST, Grant-270727173286
BEKKER, Oliver-267727374286
WU, Ashun-269717274286
LARRAZÁBAL, Pablo-268717275286
BJØRN, Thomas-272706975286
61CAMPILLO, Jorge-169727472287
IWASAKI, Aguri-174687273287
WILSON, Andrew-170727174287
CLEMENTS, Todd-171706977287
65SADDIER, AdrienPar70707276288
SOUTHGATE, MatthewPar72707076288
67LINDBERG, Mikael+175676978289
68WALTERS, Justin+271717375290
69SCHOTT, Freddy+370727574291
DUBUISSON, Victor+369717576291
CUT
72BACHEM, Nick-17073--143
LORENZO-VERA, Mike-17073--143
JAMIESON, Scott-17172--143
ZANOTTI, Fabrizio-17370--143
VON DELLINGSHAUSEN, Nicolai-17172--143
RAMSAY, Richie-17271--143
HANNA, Chase-17073--143
KIEFFER, Maximilian-17370--143
WIEBE, Gunner-17469--143
EASTON, Bryce-16974--143
JOHANNESSEN, Kristian Krogh-17172--143
GERMISHUYS, Deon-17370--143
CATLIN, John-17073--143
PAUL, Yannik-16974--143
TARRIO, Santiago-17370--143
FAHRBRING, Jens-17667--143
88VAN TONDER, DanielPar7668--144
SIMONSEN, MartinPar6975--144
WILSON, OliverPar7371--144
VÄLIMÄKI, SamiPar7272--144
STAL, GaryPar7470--144
PORTEOUS, GarrickPar7173--144
PARRY, JohnPar7272--144
HILL, CalumPar7173--144
LUITEN, JoostPar7272--144
LANGASQUE, RomainPar7272--144
KRISTJANSSON, GudmundurPar7371--144
LEE, JoshuaPar7371--144
100SURI, Julian+17471--145
FREIBURGHAUS, Jeremy+17570--145
PULKKANEN, Tapio+17570--145
COHEN, Asaf+17273--145
TROMMETTER, Hugo Mazen+17075--145
BRING, Christoffer+17372--145
AXELSEN, John+17273--145
MIGLIOZZI, Guido+17174--145
108FORSSTRÖM, Simon+27472--146
BRUN, Julien+27472--146
SORDET, Clément+27571--146
WANG, Jeunghun+27076--146
ELVIRA, Nacho+27373--146
EDÉN, Tobias+27571--146
114HURLEY, Gary+37275--147
PEPPERELL, Eddie+37572--147
GARCIA-HEREDIA, Alfredo+37671--147
GANDAS, Manu+37572--147
KNAPPE, Alexander+37374--147
LEVY, Alexander+37572--147
MURPHY, John+37473--147
121SCIOT-SIEGRIST, Robin+47771--148
LONG, Hurly+47375--148
DANTORP, Jens+47375--148
SULLIVAN, Andy+47375--148
125BARHOUMI, Elyes (AM)+57475--149
MORRISON, James+57079--149
127LEMKE, Niklas+87676--152
FIGUEIREDO, Pedro+87676--152
129STRYDOM, Ockie+117877--155
130CHENGYAO, Ma+157782--159
131AL MUSHARREKH, Hassan+238285--167
RETDHORSEY, David+1-----
RETDSHINKWIN, Callum-76769--145
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