Korhonen makes major stride in Race to Dubai
Finn holds nerve to win Volvo China Open in play-off
Shenzhen, China: Mikko Korhonen pipped France’s Benjamin Hebert in a nerve-jangling playoff to win the 25th Volvo China Open on Sunday and secure his place in this month’s US PGA Championship.
The Finn shot a superb six-under par 66 to finish at 20-under par for the tournament alongside overnight leader Hebert, who had a three-under 69 at Genzon Golf Club in Shenzhen.
Korhonen looked icy cool when he sank a treacherous left-to-right downhill 10-footer for a birdie in the playoff, though he admitted his knees were trembling.
“Yeah, there were a few butterflies with that one,” Korhonen said after being drenched in celebratory champagne by his fellow Finnish players on the final green. He promised it would be a “good flight” back to Europe on Sunday night after ensuring a place in a major field for just the second time in his career.
“We’ll have some celebrations I’m sure,” he added.
It was just his second win in a European Tour event after his Shot Clock Masters victory in Austria last year.
The triumph takes him into the world’s top 100 and the top 20 on the Race To Dubai standings and means that he will head to Bethpage, New York, for the season’s second major in two weeks’ time.