After leading the field by eight shots after 54 holes of the Dutch Open, Kristoffer Broberg duly converted the win with a level-par 72 to end a six-year barren spell for the 35-year-old Swede.
After struggling to build any momentum in a level-par front nine during the final round, Broberg birdied the 10th and despite dropped shots at 12 and 14, held his nerve down the stretch, making a birdie at the 17th to fend off several strong challengers and win by three shots with a 23 under par total.
A four-time winner on the Challenge Tour earlier in his career, Broberg hadn’t added to his maiden European Tour title at the 2015 BMW Masters, but set up today’s win with a third round 61.
Broberg said: “I thought my eight shot lead would be enough today, but Matthias (Schmid) played some really beautiful golf. I’m happy right now, but my game wasn’t there today. I didn’t feel comfortable, but I’m happy to pull it off. It means a lot to win again, and it has been six years of hell. I was so close to quitting. I was in category 17 and missed my card by €5,000. It’s going to be a game changer. I’ll get in to bigger events and can plan my schedule a little bit ore. Before this I was at home for a month. I didn’t know where the game was, but it was good enough.”
Matthias Schmid earned his best European Tour finish with outright second place on 20 under, courtesy of a final round 66, while Spain’s Alejandro Cañizares claimed third place on his own despite a double-bogey finish, carding a four under final round for a 19 under total.