CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland — Thriston Lawrence of South Africa overcame a six-shot deficit Sunday (Monday in Manila) with an 8-under 62 and denied Paul Casey his first victory in five years by making an 18-foot birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole to win the European Masters.
Casey stood over a putt with the chance to win four times on the 18th green at Crans-sur-Sierre, three of them in the playoff. Lawrence made good on his first chance. He became the seventh three-time winner of this event, and the first since Seve Ballesteros.
Casey (68) led by one going to the 18th and got a huge break when his approach from rough hit a rock and bounced over a stream. But he couldn’t get up-and-down for par, leading to the playoff.
Casey had a 35-foot birdie putt for the win on the first playoff hole at No. 18. On the second extra hole, his 10-foot birdie narrowly missed to the right. Officials moved the pin toward the back of the green, and Casey had 8 feet for birdie and the win. That spun off the right edge.
The fourth time around, Lawrence made the winning putt to capture the European Masters for the third time in the last five years.
Royal & Ancient Golf Club
In Ireland, Connor Graham and Josh Hill each won the 18th hole in the final two matches Sunday at Lahinch as Great Britain & Ireland capped off a stunning comeback against the Americans to win the Walker Cup for the first time since 2015.
Graham birdied the last two holes to earn a precious halve against 17-year-old Miles Russell. It came down to Hill, all square in his match with 18-year-old Tyler Watts, his Tennessee teammate.
