Pablo Larrazabal Claims Seventh European Tour Title, First on Home Soil, ISPS Handa Championship

It’s Lucky No. 7 for Pablo Larrazabal

The 38-year-old Spanish professional golfer shot 8-under 62 on Sunday to win the ISPS Handa Championship to claim his seventh European tour title — and first on home soil.

Pablo Larrazabal Larrazabal made nine birdies and a bogey at the Lakes Course to secure a one-shot victory over countryman Adrian Otaegui (66).

“What a day. But I knew that my golf was there,” Larrazabal said. “I couldn’t make any putts the first three days but I told my girlfriend last night that she had to choose my clothing for the [winning] pictures.

“I knew that I had a low one in my bag and that’s what I did. Today I holed putts and that was key. I mean, to shoot 62 in windy conditions with the flags out there, it was good.”

Larrazabal finished with a 15-under 265 total. His first title of the year was at the MyGolfLife Open in South Africa.

South Africa’s Hennie Du Plessis and Canadian Aaron Cockerill both shot 67s and tied for third, two shots behind Larrazabal.

Bad weather in northeast Spain had forced organizers to suspend the third round on Saturday with Scott Jamieson at the top. Jamieson shot even par to finish in a tie for 10th, eight shots off the lead.

The ISPS Handa Championship is the first of four consecutive events in Europe between the season’s first two majors.

The European tour stays in Spain next week for the Catalunya Championship. The two new events in Spain were added to the schedule to replace tournaments in Japan and China due to travel restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pablo Larrazabal Wins Playoff for Sixth DP World Tour Title

Pablo Larrazabal is celebrating another title after a three year drought…

The 38-year-old Spanish professional golfer outlasted Jordan Smith on the second playoff hole to come away with the title at DP World Tour‘s MyGolfLife Open, which was held at the Pecanwood Country Club in Haartbeespoort, South Africa on Sunday.

Pablo Larrazabal The pair had been locked on 22 under-par with another Spaniard, Adri Arnaus, after 72 holes, but the latter dropped out of the playoff after the first hole.

Briton Jordan, who carded a 65 on Sunday, found the rough on the second and two-putted to allow Larrazabal to claim his sixth tour win and first since 2019.

South African George Coetzee (64) carded the joint low round of the day to finish alone in fourth on 21 under par.

Pablo Larrazabal Wins Alfred Dunhill Championship in Dramatic Fashion

Pablo Larrazabal has pulled off a big win…

The 36-year-old Spanish golfer won the European Tour’s season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship on Sunday after losing a three-shot overnight lead and then making three birdies on his last four holes for a dramatic one-stroke victory.

Pablo Larrazabal

Larrazabal birdied the par-5 No. 18 as he finished 8 under overall and just ahead of Sweden’s Joel Sjoholm.

Larrazabal said he struggled with blisters on his feet throughout the final round, when he fell three shots behind at one point. He made a litany of errors and closed with a 75 after six bogeys and a double bogey, but his rousing finale still enabled him to clinch a fifth European Tour title and first in four years.

Pablo Larrazabal

“I woke up this morning and I didn’t think I was going to play,” Larrazabal said. “I couldn’t put my shoe on, I couldn’t walk to the buggy. I really struggled on the back nine. I have a big blister on my right toe and I said to myself ‘If Tiger [Woods] can win a U.S. Open with a broken leg’ and I just fought hard.”

Larrazabal’s victory at Leopard Creek Country Club came at the event where he began his professional career 12 years ago.

Charl Schwartzel (70) finished tied for third at 6 under on his return to tournament action for the first time in eight months because of a wrist injury. Branden Grace (73) and Wil Besseling (74) were also in that tie for third.

Besseling led or held a share of the lead through much of the final round but he made bogey on the last after his approach flew too far and landed among some rocks behind the green.

That opened the way for Larrazabal to win it on the last. He laid up with his second and then fired his third shot in close to tap in for birdie and the win.

Larrazabal Claims Third Career European Tour Title at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship

Pablo Larrazabal is the last man putting at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

The 30-year-old Spanish professional golfer edged out two of the world’s top-10 golfers by 1 shot on Sunday to win the championship with a birdie at the home hole.

Pablo Larrazabal

Larrazabal, ranked No. 103, claimed his third career European Tour win with a final-round 67 to finish at 14-under par.

He held off fifth-ranked Phil Mickelson and seventh-ranked Rory McIlroy despite birdies from both on the 18th hole at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. An eagle by either would have forced a playoff.

“It means a lot to win my third victory on Tour and playing against who I played today,” said Larrazabal. “Of course, I play against myself but I knew who I also had behind me in Mickelson. I have just beaten two of the three most-talented guys in my era, and in the last era, as well in Phil Mickelson and Rory.”

Pablo Larrazabal

Larrazabal said standing next to Mickelson and McIlroy to accept his trophy was a surreal experience.

“I was sitting at the presentation ceremony I said to myself: ‘Pablo? What are you doing here?’ I’ve got Rory McIlroy on my left and I am shaking the hand of Phil Mickelson on my right. It’s very special for me,” added Larrazabal after collecting the trophy.

“But it’s been a long journey and a lot of work since my last win in Munich, and only my team and my family know how hard I have worked for this victory with no holidays, and not too many days off this winter, just working hard to arrive here properly and in form to Abu Dhabi. So, yes happy days.”

Larrazabal moved into seventh place in the Race to Dubai and to 12th on the European Ryder Cup Team points table.

He should move inside the top-64 in the rankings when they are adjusted Monday and that will guarantee the Spaniard a first-ever place in next month’s Accenture Match-Play Championship in Arizona.