Finland’s Kalle Samooja carded a stunning final round of 64 to overturn a seven-shot deficit and claim his first DP World Tour title at the Porsche European Open in Hamburg.
Samooja fired eight birdies, including three in the last four holes, to establish a course record and set the clubhouse target on six under par, with the final groups still having nine holes to play.
Overnight-leader Victor Perez, who was seeking back-to-back victories after winning last week’s Dutch Open, birdied the 10th and 11th to move into a share of the lead, only to bogey three of the next four holes.
Dutchman Wil Besseling then got within a shot of Samooja when he birdied the 13th, but ran up a double-bogey on the 15th which included an ugly shank with his fourth shot. He bounced back to birdie the next, but when he bogeyed the 17th, Samooja’s victory was effectively assured.
England’s Richard Mansell carded a closing 70 to tie for third with Besseling and earned a place at the US Open at Brookline in two weeks’ time after finishing ninth on the 2022 European Qualifying Series. Germany’s Marcel Schneider shared fifth place with four others as he earned the tenth and final spot of this year’s Qualifying Series, with the top ten aggregate points earners from the last four DP World Tour events set to tee it up for the season’s third major championship.
What’s in the Bag – Kalle Samooja
Driver: Callaway Epic Max LS (10.5°)
Fairway wood: Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond (15°)
Irons: Callaway Apex Pro ’19 (4-PW)
Wedges: Callaway JAWS Mack Daddy 5 (54°, 60°)
Putter: Odyssey Toulon Daytona Beach
Ball: Titleist Pro V1