South Korea’s Wang Jeung-hun claimed his second European Tour title in as many weeks by overhauling overnight leader Siddikur Rahman to win the Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open by one shot on Sunday.
The 20-year-old took the Trophee Hassan II title last week in Morocco, and could now move into the top 70 in the world rankings having been 133rd a fortnight ago. He carded an even-par final round of 72 at the Four Seasons Golf Club Mauritius at Anahita, with a birdie at the 18th sealing a thrilling victory on a six-under-par total of 282.
Wang is the first man to win back-to-back European Tour events since Rory McIlroy at the Bridgestone Invitational and USPGA Championship in 2014.
He is also the third-youngest player to win his first two tournaments on the tour in the same season, with only Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal managing the feat at a younger age.
“I hope I can win three in a row, but next week is a really big tournament and it’s my first time in Ireland, so I’m not sure,” Wang told www.europeantour.com, referring to next week’s Irish Open at the K Club.
“I probably had luck on my side today. I wasn’t even thinking about winning this week until the 16th. I missed a lot of putts, so I thought I didn’t have any chance to win,” he added.
Wang started the day one stroke behind playing partner Rahman of Bangladesh, and slipped further adrift with a bogey at the opening hole.
Rahman briefly pulled four clear, and took a three-shot advantage into the final three holes.
However, the 31-year-old buckled under the pressure of trying to win his first title on one of the two major tours, carding a double bogey on the 16th and taking a four on the par-three penultimate hole.
The duo were locked at five-under going up the par-five last and Wang superbly got up and down from the greenside bunker for birdie, before Rahman saw his chip to force a playoff hit the pin.
Taiwan’s Hung Chien-yao carded a 16-over four-round total 304 to finish tied for 70th.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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