Round 4 - Jordan Smith claims first tour title

July 31, 2017

England's Jordan Smith claimed the first title of his fledgling European Tour career on Sunday, beating defending champion Alexander Levy of France in a play-off at the European Open in Hamburg.

Smith had been two shots ahead overnight but he needed a birdie at the last on Sunday to force a play-off with both players tied at 13 under par.

He then survived on the first trip back down the 18th when Levy missed a close-range birdie putt to win.

Back down the 517-yard par-five last hole they came and this time Smith, 24, birdied to take the title and get his hands on the giant trophy as well as the winner's cheque in the two million-euro ($2.4 million, £1.8 million) event.

Smith, a former Walker Cup player who turned professional in 2014 and was top ranked on the Challenge Tour last year, shot a one-under-par 71 featuring four birdies and three bogeys.

Levy had a second successive 69 on Sunday after play was suspended due to the threat of lightning in the morning on the Green Eagle course.

He led by a single shot as he stood at the 18th tee, but when Smith holed a 10-foot birdie putt to join the Frenchman at the summit, he was forced to tap in a tricky par putt just to force the play-off.

"It's all a bit surreal," Smith, who hails from Bath, told europeantour.com.

"I had a really good start to the year and the first aim was just to secure my Tour card, which I managed to do. And then the second goal was to win an event, which I've managed to do."

Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh and Johan Edfors of Sweden, two players ranked outside the top 350 in the world, finished tied for third place on 11-under.

South Africa's former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, the highest-ranked player in the field at world number 21, shot a final round of 69 to finish in a tie for 12th at eight-under.

Further back, US Ryder Cup player Patrick Reed ended on six under par.

Round 3 - Jordan Smith takes two shot lead

July 30, 2017

England's Jordan Smith will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the European Open in Hamburg after shooting a second consecutive 67 on Saturday as he targets a first tour title.

Smith's bogey-free five-under-par round left him on 12-under overall with Sweden's Jens Fahrbring and France's Alexander Levy his nearest challengers, each on 10 under par.

Levy is still in contention to retain his title after a day on which he was forced to complete his second round before a third round of 69.

The Frenchman was one of a number of players who had been forced to come back early on Saturday after lengthy rain delays on Friday had brought a premature end to play.

Smith's fellow Englishman Ashley Chesters had led in the clubhouse overnight but he could only manage a level-par round of 72 on Saturday and is one of six players in a tie for fourth at nine-under.

Further back, US Ryder Cup player Patrick Reed sits at seven-under after a colourful 70 that featured an eagle and four birdies but also four bogeys on the Green Eagle course, just to the south of the German city.

South Africa's former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, the highest-ranked player in the field at world number 21, slipped back to five-under after a 73.

Round 2 - Ashley Chesters leads on weather hit day

July 29, 2017

Ashley Chesters carded a 5-under 67 to take the lead at 9-under in the second round of the European Open, which was suspended due to failing light on Friday.

The 27-year-old, who also had a bogey-free round on the opening day, was tied with fellow Englishman Jordan Smith at 8-under when play was halted due to a heavy downpour.

Smith missed his last 11-foot par putt on the ninth hole when play resumed almost four hours later, while Chesters shot his fifth birdie to take sole leadership.

Siddikur Rahman carded a 66 and was one stroke behind Chesters, along with defending champion Alexander Levy, Stuart Manley, and Richard McEvoy, who all have to complete their second rounds on Saturday morning.

Jens Fahrbring was level with Smith at 7-under.

Round 1 - Charl Schwartzel in contention

July 28, 2017

Charl Schwartzel impressed on the opening day of the European Open in Hamburg on Thursday, as American Julian Suri and Richard McEvoy took a share of the lead.

Suri carded five birdies on the back nine for a 66 to sit alongside England's McEvoy, who posted a bogey-free effort, on six under par.

South African Schwartzel is just a stroke further back on five-under, alongside defending champion Alexander Levy, Chris Paisley and Welshman Stuart Manley.

Schwartzel, the highest-ranked player in the field at world number 21, took full advantage of the par fives to sign for an excellent round of 67.

The former Masters winner eagled the 15th hole and birdied the 18th after starting on the back nine.

A closing birdie on the par-five ninth could have been far better, after his second shot with a fairway wood hit the flagstick before settling 25 feet from the cup.

"On 18 I hit a fantastic shot and then finishing off today on nine, I hit the flag again with two fairway woods and that doesn't happen very often but you know I played well this morning," he told europeantour.com.

American Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed, making a rare appearance on the European Tour, mixed five birdies with one bogey in a round of 68 to sit in a nine-strong group on four-under.

Scores

 

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