Emotional Brazel Secures First European Tour Title

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements

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RAFA CABRERA BELLO had to settle for another near-miss, signing off an incredible 2016 by finishing second at the UBS Hong Kong Open after a brilliant approach to the final hole by unheralded Australian Sam Brazel proved to be good enough to deprive the Spaniard of his first title of the year.

For Cabrera Bello there will be other chances, but for Brazel this was a life-changing moment. The Australian is 37 years old and began the week 480th in the world rankings. Even he would admit that he didn't expect to break his duck and win his first European Tour title in Hong Kong, but he found something that he will hope to take into 2017 with him.

At one point there were six players in a tie for the lead on the back nine but Brazel held off a group with 11 European Tour titles between them, and showed tremendous character on the final hole when he struck his approach to eight feet and holed the biggest putt of his life for a round of 68, a total of 13 under par and a one-shot victory.

Brazel started the day in a share of the lead with Cabrera Bello but the leading pair both turned in two over par 36 to allow the chasing pack to close the gap and set up a terrific battle on the back nine.

Cabrera Bello had birdied the third for the fourth time of the week and when Brazel bogeyed the sixth after finding the sand, the Spaniard led by two shots. The leader bogeyed the seventh after going over the back of the green before a poor chip on the next resulted in a double, and when Brazel went over the back of the ninth for a bogey, it was Danny Willett who led after making birdies on the fourth, sixth, seventh, 12th and 13th.

Rose, Rafa, Poults...

It's the five best shots from last week. pic.twitter.com/OX0AGknYLn

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 12, 2016

Andrew Dodt had opened with a bogey but turned in 34 after birdies on the fourth, sixth – courtesy of a lengthy putt – and ninth, while David Lipsky had a single birdie on the seventh after a stunning approach to turn in 33. Tommy Fleetwood recovered from a double-bogey on the third with birdies on the seventh and ninth and when Willett dropped a shot on the 17th, there was a six-way tie for the lead at nine under.

Dodt took the lead with a birdie on the 12th but he was not alone for long as Cabrera Bello drove the tenth, Brazel holed from eight feet on the 11th and Lipsky put his tee-shot to the 12th to four feet.

Brazel was the next man to hit the front when he put his tee-shot on the 12th to tap-in range but Dodt splashed out of a bunker to birdie the 14th and Lipsky hit another brilliant iron into the 13th. Brazel holed a 30-footer on the 13th to get to 12 under and, while Dodt joined him with a birdie on the 17th before finishing with a bogey.

Cabrera Bello had birded the 16th and 17th to set up a grandstand finish but he was only able to par the last.  Dodt and Fleetwood were tied for third on 11 under, a shot clear of Lipsky and two ahead of Masters champion Willett, who ended the year with a welcome return to the sort of form that secured him the Green Jacket in April. After months of struggling with his game, it seems that with the pressure of trying to win the Race to Dubai finally off his shoulders, Willett has been able to start enjoying his golf again. There have been times this year when it looked like the last place he wanted to be was on a golf course.

Brazel was visibly emotional as he lifted the trophy and the 37 year old credited a new set of clubs with helping get him over the line, but it takes more than a set of clubs to win a golf tournament. The Australian will now move into the top 150 in the world.

“It's been a long time coming," Brazel said. "I've been playing good but it's been a bit of a struggle with the old irons but I got set up with a new set of clubs, and it's all sort of turned around. I wouldn't say I got the shot into the last straight out of the middle but I'm pretty stoked where it finished, I'll tell you.

“I had a great playing partner in Rafa. I was stoked to play with him for the last two days. It was a thrill to be out there the past few days and I hope that continues and I have a lot more days like this in the future. I am really looking forward to getting over to Europe and playing on the European Tour. It will be a great privilege.”

Cabrera Bello, though clearly disappointed not to win, was philosophical about his week. "Obviously if you look at it overall, it's a great week, finishing second, but I am a little disappointed today," he said. "I managed to start good again but then struggled halfway through the front nine. I battled back really hard again, same as yesterday. But then Sam just played a fantastic 18th hole.

“Obviously I am still proud of the performance. I messed up a little obviously on seven and eight but I stayed calm and waited for my chances. I gave myself lots of opportunities. Some didn't fall, but at the end, 16 and 17, they were two great putts that did go in. The one on 18th, almost, as well. In the end, it's a good week. It's just a bitter taste finishing runner-up.”

ON a glorious day in Mauritius, Barry Lane brought the curtain down on the European Seniors Tour season with a dramatic victory in the season-ending MCB Tour Championship at the magnificent Constance Belle Mare Plage course. Lane, Colin Montgomerie and Paul Broadhurst fought out a thrilling battle over the closing 18 holes, with the lead changing hand several times.

Congratulations Barry Lane, winner of the 2016 MCB Tour Championship #MCBTourChamps pic.twitter.com/L07T0Ko0eG

— European Senior Tour (@EuroSeniorTour) December 11, 2016

Monty looked to be on cruise control until a double-bogey on the ninth, at which point Lane led by four. But the Scot refused to give up and birdied the 13th, 14th and 18th holes, but Lane held his nerve, finishing with a final round of 68 for a 14-under-par winning total of 202. Broadhurst was one behind, with Montgomerie two adrift after both players closed out with rounds of 69.

And the Ladies Euiropean Tour also reached its conclusion in Dubai with China's Shanshan Feng recording a spectacular final round of 64 to win the Oemega Dubai Ladies Masters for the fourth time in five years, beating Charley Hull, of England, by two strokes.

Feng won the tournament for the third year in a row having come from five shots back at the start of the day, posting eight birdies as she ended the week on 10 under par. Felicity Johnson, of England, led by six shots at one staged but a horror run saw her tumble down the leaderboard. Hull finished second after a 65 that could have been even lower - her golf from tee to green was astonishing, but she missed a number of putts and thus narrowly failed to add this title to her victory in the LPGA Tour Championship.

Massive congratulations to world #4 @shanshanfengCHN for winning the @OMEGAGolfDubai @EmiratesGC for the fourth time in the last five years! pic.twitter.com/1Cqwo0gNGe

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) December 10, 2016

The event was reduced to 54 holes after caddie Max Zechmann collapsed on the course before being taken to hospital, where he later died. All the players wore black ribbons as a mark of respect to Zechmann.