Adam Blomme kept his cool during a nervy finish to secure a dramatic maiden European Challenge Tour win in the Swiss Challenge at Golf Saint Apollinaire in France.
The Swede saved his best round of the week for Sunday, carding a six under par 66 to sit at 17 under following rounds of 67-69-69.
There were four players tied for the top at the start of Sunday. But Blomme, fellow Swede Jesper Svensson and American Julian Suri were all in contention on a low-scoring final day in Folgensbourg. With Blomme and Suri tied at the top, Svensson came roaring into contention with four birdies in seven holes on the back nine. When Suri bogeyed the 16th, that left just Blomme and Svensson in with a chance.
With Svensson having set the clubhouse lead at 17 under, Blomme led going down the final hole by one, but a second bogey of the day saw him join Svensson.
The duo returning to the 18th tee to decide a winner. Blomme would go on to bogey the first play-off hole, but with Svensson finding trouble off the tee, it would be enough to clinch a first professional win.
“It's amazing to finally do it,” said the 27-year-old. “There are hundreds of players on the Challenge Tour that are playing for that one spot, that first place, and it's so satisfying to do it.
“It was difficult playing against Jesper, honestly. It feels good to either win or lose against your best friend though. I hit a really bad tee shot, and then to see him struggle too on that play-off was tough. At the end we were both just trying to do our best.”
Promotion to the DP World Tour
Blomme now climbs up six spots to third in the Road to Mallorca Rankings and all-but secures his promotion to the DP World Tour.
Suri finished in solo third on 16 under with four players sharing fourth on 13 under including Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen from Denmark, Spaniard Ivan Cantero, Italian Andrea Pavan and Frenchman Pierre Pineau.
Frenchman Ugo Coussaud remains at the top of the Road to Mallorca Rankings. Svensson’s second place finish sees him climb to fifth, Pavan moving up one place to sixth, with Suri now moving up 16 spots to sit in 22nd on the Rankings.
UAE Challenge winner Max Rottluff drops one spot to 12th, while Abu Dhabi Challenge champion Ricardo Gouveia moves the other way to 21st, one spot off from a DP World Tour card. Just two events of the season remaining before the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A where Gulf News will be on the ground.
The Road to Mallorca now takes a week off before it returns for the Hopps Open de Provence at Golf International de Pont Royal in France from October 5-8.
