Matt Wallace defeated Alfredo Garcia-Heredia in a playoff at the European Masters to win his first DP World Tour title in six years on Sunday.
Wallace last reigned supreme in Europe at the 2018 Made In Denmark and almost missed his chance to end that run after putting himself in prime position after 54 holes.
The Englishman began the final round on 11-under and with a four-stroke lead but, gradually, saw his advantage melt away in the snow-covered mountains at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Switzerland.
At the same course in which he lost to Thriston Lawrence in a playoff two years ago, Wallace was desperately trying to clutch onto an ever-narrowing lead under pressure from the charging pair of Andrew Johnston and Garcia-Heredia down the back nine.
Heading down the 72nd hole one behind, the Spaniard - who was only recently playing in pro-am tournaments in his homeland before being encouraged to go out on tour by his wife - secured a clutch birdie to finish with a closing 66 and send the event into overtime as Wallace signed for a 70.
In the end, both golfers enjoyed a happy ending as Wallace stuck his approach shot to seven feet for a birdie - which ended his long wait for a win - and Garcia-Heredia could console himself with the fact that his DP World Tour card for 2025 was secured as a result of his high finish.
European Masters Leaderboard
- -11 Wallace (Playoff winner), Garcia-Heredia
- -10 Johnston
- -8 Gugler, Scrivener
Updates from...
Hello everyone and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the European Masters final round at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Crans Montana, Switzerland.
The leaders have just begin their back nine in the mountains, and it's Matt Wallace who leads Andrew Johnston by three strokes as both chase a first DP World Tour victory since at least 2018. Wallace claimed the Made In Denmark six years ago, while Johnston last triumphed at the Open de Espana in 2016.
Meanwhile, home favorite Cedric Gugler needs to finish second on his own to wrap up a DP World Tour card for next season. There is so much on the line here this afternoon.
Thank you for joining us. We will endeavour to bring you all of the key moments until a champion is crowned, whoever that may be!
FINAL-ROUND UPDATE
Wallace began Sunday with a four-stroke lead and, having played some very steady golf through his first 11 holes, he still has a three-shot advantage on 11-under.
We've just come out the other side of a circa 30-minute delay due to heavy cloud on the 12th tee, and that won't have helped Wallace - who will want to get this one over the line as quickly as possible.
Andrew 'Beef' Johnston is one of two players in second on -8, and he is still hopeful of a first win since 2016. But he needs some birdies coming home, and the holes are quickly running out.
One shot further back, Switzerland's Cedric Gugler needs a solo second result to wrap up his DP World Tour card for 2025 today. Otherwise, his quest will continue into the final few weeks.
Current conditions: 😶🌫️#OEM2024 pic.twitter.com/09Hfh6i6dJSeptember 8, 2024
FINAL GROUP PLAY IT SAFE
After the final trio all par the 12th, they reach the par-3 13th. It's 181 yards downhill but the flag is at the front with a huge lake guarding the front left. As predicted, they all bail out a long way right of the flag. It's the smart play, especially as there are a couple of par-5's coming up...
AS YOU WERE
Garcia-Heredia is furthest away, only just on the green but the opposite side to the flag. He sends one weaving down there from 50 feet, and it stops at tap-in range. That was class. Beef goes next from a little closer, and he's left with a foot or two still.
Despite going last, Wallace is still next to go. That's a nervous length coming back. But he's got nerves of steel, Wallace. It just slips in the left edge. Par. Par. Par. It's as you were.
Meanwhile, Cedric Gugler joins three others at eight-under with another birdie. He's playing so well today. He's been excellent all week.
WALLACE IN TROUBLE
Johnston absolutely rockets one down the 550-yard par 5. This could be an eagle chance if his approach is close. It shouldn't be that far, either, after the ball caught the down slope and skipped further down the fairway.
Meanwhile, Wallace pulled his drive left and could be chipping out sideways if he doesn't have a gap...
He has... something... but it's not pretty. The Englishman just stabs back out onto the fairway. He can still make five from there. That's fine, especially given where his drive went.
JOHNSTON HAS EAGLE CHANCE
Beef has 161 to go. Bare in mind that the hole is 550 yards... He sends a nine-iron hole high but some 20 feet left. An eagle chance nonetheless, and it should cut Wallace's lead.
The leader sends his third shot from the fairway to about the same distance, almost hitting Johnston's ball as it zips back.
SCRIVENER RESPONDS
Jason Scrivener responds to a six on the par-5 15th with another birdie, and he's back into that cluster on -8. The Australian is three-under for the day.
WALLACE'S LEAD DOWN TO TWO
It was a positive eagle attempt by Beef from 20 feet or so, downhill and out of the left, but the ball rolls on by. It matters not, as he sinks the return putt for birdie and moves on to nine-under.
Alfredo Garcia-Heredia follows suit but leaves his eagle putt just short. He's also up to -9.
Wallace didn't appear to learn much from Johnston, missing his birdie attempt on the high side. However, like Johnston, Wallace finds the hole no problem on the way back.
FOUR HOLES TO PLAY
I've got to say, the sound of the golf ball being thwacked by a driver in the mountains at Crans-sur-Sierre is one of the sweetest sounds in the game. It's incredible.
The final group all boom one down there on 15. It's a 566-yard par 5 which rises in front of you. The challenge for Wallace is rising, too. He has to remember that his fate remains under his own control. Not easy, especially when your lead has been cut in half and you haven't won in more than six years.
MIDDLING APPROACH SHOTS
Garcia-Heredia was in the bunker down the right side of the fairway, and he absolutely thumped his ball towards the flag with some kind of hybrid. It sounded incredible, but he was slightly unfortunate in that he found the green-side bunker.
Johnston is over to the right of the green and faces a fairly simple chip up hill after bailing out of his approach with an iron, while Wallace has an awkward chip from the collar of the rough after his second shot just leaked left. It is hole high and inside 20 feet, but it's all about what kind of contact the leader can make.
RECOVERY BIRDIE FROM WALLACE
Wallace dinks his ball out of the collar and leaves it a couple of feet away for a simple birdie putt.
But what a response from Johnston! He still had something like 12 feet after a disappointing chip, but Beef positively stroked his own birdie putt into the middle of the hole. That's real guts from Johnston.
Not to be left out, Garcia-Heredia whips his bunker shot just past the hole and rolls in a birdie as well! Real quality from the final group.
Beef birdies, Wallace birdies 👀The lead remains at two...#OEM2024 pic.twitter.com/y7cbVJF9gJSeptember 8, 2024
BEEF PILES ON THE PRESSURE
At the final par-3, Johnston draws one in to 20 feet on the 186-yard hole. Garcia-Heredia is a long way right on the opposite side of the green.
Going last, Wallace is just off the green to the left. That is likely a par. Just about advantage Johnston.
WALLACE NERVES
Wallace chose to putt through a decent amount of fairway grass and up the slope between himself and the green, but it doesn't really get close. He's still got 10 feet or so.
WALLACE BOGEYS 16
Beef comes up just short with his birdie attempt, but it's still good enough to close the gap as Wallace slides his par attempt wide. Wallace had a four-stroke lead barely nine holes ago. It's now one.
LEADING TRIO ALL ABOARD ON 17
Garcia-Heredia, Johnston, and Wallace all have birdie putts of similar distance from around 15 feet. A hat-trick of clutch approach shots there.
HOME FAVORITE FINISHES UP
Cedric Gugler sees his birdie attempt on 18 - which would have launched an avalanche had it gone in, such is the size of the crowd following him - just nip wide. It hit one of his playing partners' markers on its way down, and that seemed to keep it above board.
Nevertheless, he ends T4th and has booked his spot at the Irish Open next week. What a week for the Swiss player.
A star is born ⭐️🇨🇭World number 862, Cédric Gugler shines on home turf! 👏#OEM2024 pic.twitter.com/3xPxWH7GfQSeptember 8, 2024
WALLACE LEADS BY ONE WITH ONE TO PLAY
Johnston goes first and looks as if he's holed it, but it agonizingly dribbles wide to the left. Garcia-Heredia leaves his own effort short, and Wallace was not particularly close despite watching Johnston go from an almost-identical spot.
But when all is said and done, it's pars all around and Wallace maintains his one-stroke lead with just the 72nd hole to play. True drama!
CONTRASTING TEE SHOTS
Oh no, no, no, Beef. Johnston has birdied the 18th two out of three attempts so far this week, but just when he needed something decent to set up a birdie, his tee shot is pulled left and he might be struggling to make par.
Meanwhile, Wallace shows sublime mental strength to rifle one down the middle of the fairway after watching his lead cut from four to one. It's only 400 yards, the 18th, so this will be a wedge in. It seems like it's Wallace's tournament, at long last.
PLAYOFF INCOMING?
Stunning from Johnston. With a little bit of help from the golfing Gods, Johnston had a decent lie and a gap in the trees. He's pumped one to the back of the green and still has some life left in the form of a long-range birdie putt.
But here comes Garcia-Heredia! The Spaniard has left himself no more than eight feet for birdie from just over 100 yards. This could be going to a playoff all of a sudden!
Wallace finds the middle of the green from exactly 100 yards, and he's got a tough putt himself to win this thing outright in regulation.
The Garcia-Heredia shot that forced the play-off 🎯#OEM2024 https://t.co/Iv85tJd1EN pic.twitter.com/BGOYCng40ESeptember 8, 2024
NOT TO BE FOR BEEF
Johnston gives it a good roll, but the ball just won't turn enough and comes up short. He will finish at least solo third.
WALLACE ENDS ON -11
Wallace can't make birdie from 20 feet or so and he finishes on -11. Will it be enough? We're about to find out...
PLAYOFF TO COME
Garcia-Heredia drains it and we'll go back down 18 for a playoff! Should it be necessary, they'll play 18 three times and then alternate between 10 and 18 until a winner is crowned.
PLAYOFF UNDERWAY
Wallace was away first down 18 and just faded his tee shot back into the fairway. That's ideal. Garcia-Heredia - who has now secured his DP World Tour card for next year after recently being told to get out on tour by his wife following a string of good results in Spanish pro-ams - follows suit.
APPROACH SHOTS INCOMING
Wallace has 99 yards to go. Garcia-Heredia has 112. The Englishman has birdied this hole two out of four times this week. The Spaniard has done it three times.
If I had any sort of talent, I'd much prefer Wallace's tee shot. Not only because it's closer, but also because it's just that much further left.
STUNNING FROM WALLACE
He might have let a four-stroke lead slip in regulation, but Wallace looks like he might have iced this tournament with a beautiful wedge shot which lands just past the flag and zips back to eight feet below the hole. Garcia-Heredia is perfectly capable of holing his birdie putt from 15-20 feet, mind, but you'd fancy Wallace is the favorite at this juncture.
WALLACE TO WIN...
Garcia-Heredia pulls it just left. Wallace has a chance to win it again...
MATT WALLACE WINS
He's done it! After six years and six days without a DP World Tour win, the Englishman screams into the mountain air moments on from his seven-foot birdie putt hitting the bottom of the cup. Every win means so much to each player, but especially after everything he has been through - including a playoff defeat here two years ago - that will mean the world.
The moment @mattsjwallace won again after SIX years! 👏#OEM2024 pic.twitter.com/HLsjGuNtqNSeptember 8, 2024
HEAR FROM THE WINNER
Hear from an emotional Matt Wallace after his win 🎙️#OEM2024 pic.twitter.com/EaBZAmqixASeptember 8, 2024
An emotional Wallace responds after his first DP World Tour title in six years!
