Italian Open 2021 R4
September 02-05
Marco Simone GC, Rome, Italy
€3,000,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 3

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

20-year-old Dane Nicolai Højgaard, playing on the final invitation, signed for a 71 to reach 13-under and win the DS Automobiles Italian Open by one shot.

He and his twin, Rasmus, become the first brothers to win back-to-back tournaments on the European Tour following Rasmus' victory at the Omega European Masters last week.

Italian Open 2021 R4

"It's crazy to think of (being last man in). I had a bad foot before coming here and to get it done, it's quite a good story. I didn't see the back nine before the first round, so it's been a crazy week.

"It means a lot. I've been grinding for a long time and seeing Rasmus win three times made me want to do it even more. And to finally get it done is very special and it's been a great week here so I'm just very happy to get it done."

Italian Open 2021 R4

Nicolai started the final round with a one shot lead and had increased it to two by the turn but bogeys at the 14th and 15th allowed Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and Adrian Meronk of Poland to join him in the lead.

He needed a birdie at the 18th to win and holed a three-foot putt to win his maiden title.

Italian Open 2021 R4

"It's hard actually to make birdies when you're in front but you just have to grind. Everyone's going to struggle at some point. You've just got to keep grinding - that's what my caddie Christian told me.

"That's what we talked about all day - keep going, we know the birdies will come. There weren't many birdies but one came at the last and it was very important, so I'm really pleased for that."

Italian Open 2021 R4

Fleetwood (71) and Meronk (66) tied for second place at 12-under.

"I hit a couple of bad shots at the wrong time but overall felt like I played well today," said Fleetwood. "Especially on the front nine I felt as comfortable as I'd felt all week, long game wise, and just didn't putt like I had done throughout the first three days. I eventually got that going.

"It's always great coming down the stretch in contention. I took shots on, hit a couple of bad shots - especially like 16. And yeah, there are things that I'd like to put right but at the end of the day I haven't been around much this year, I haven't been in contention a lot.

Italian Open 2021 R4

"I played a lot better this week and again I take a lot of heart from those two shots on the 18th - the wedge in and holing the putt."

Leading Italian Francesco Laporta closed with a 68 to finish fourth at 11-under one stroke ahead of compatriot Edoardo Molinari (69) who tied for fifth alongside England's Richard Bland (67) and Japan's Masahiro Kawamura (66).

Italian Open 2021 R4