Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano was amazed at his performance after overcoming six months of injury problems to end a three-year title drought by winning the Singapore Open yesterday.
Having been plagued by back issues and contemplating complex surgery, the Spaniard said he had been concerned his career would be cut short by the problem.
However, after returning to the tour late in July and claiming two top 10 finishes last month, he completed the comeback with victory at the rain-affected Singapore Open in a playoff over unheralded Filipino Juvic Pagunsan.
“It has been a difficult year for me. The back injury kept me away from the golf course for six months. When I came back, I just wanted to play well again,” the 31-year-old Spaniard said after collecting the huge trophy and US$1 million first prize.
It had looked like winning the tournament was beyond -Fernandez-Castano after he blew a four-shot lead on the final inward nine of the 54-hole tournament, recording three bogeys over four holes as the pressure mounted.
However, he recovered from driving his tee shot in the water at the par-five 18th to drain a 12-foot par putt to force a playoff with Pagunsan and then won the twice delayed shootout yesterday with a birdie on the second extra hole.
It meant a fifth European Tour title for the Madrid-born golfer and first since his 2008 British Masters triumph.
Fernandez-Castano paid tribute to his closest supporters for helping him maintain belief when he was forced from the course because of the injury problems.
“It’s down to my family and friends and my wife. In the six months, I am sure I was a bit of a pain,” he said. “One person I want to thank is my caddy. He has been amazing and stuck with me. He was calling me on a weekly basis during my injury time. He said not to worry and he would be there waiting for me.”
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