McIlroy congragulates Soderberg after play-off drama. AFP
Sebastian Soderberg sunk a birdie in the first hole of a five-man play-off featuring Rory McIlroy to the European Masters for a “surreal” first Tour title on Sunday.
The Swede had begun the final round at Crans-Montana four shots off the pace, but after the turn surged into the lead with five birdies in a row.
A three-putt on the 17th dropped him into the play-off with a 14-under par total of 266 with four-time major champion McIlroy, Italian Lorenzo Gagli, Andres Romero of Argentina and Finn Kalle Samooja.
The 28-year-old sealed his debut EPGA win on the first trip back up the last hole, sinking a 10-footer as McIlroy and Samooja missed from close range.
It was the ideal way to celebrate his 50th European Tour event in the sixth play-off at Crans-Montana in the past seven years.
“It’s unbelievable,” Soderberg said. “I’ve dreamt of playing on the European Tour – even better doing it this way. I was in the lead, lost it, went into the play-off with Rory McIlroy among it.
McIlroy was two over for his round after 10 holes, but the Northern Irishman, fresh from last weekend’s PGA Tour’s Tour Championship and $15 million FedEx Cup prize win, secured his presence in the play-off with five birdies for a 67.
He birdied the 12th and 13th to get back to level and then took advantage of the back to back par fives at the 14th and 15th.
A slippery right-to-lefter on the 17th had him within one, and Gagli was also at 14 under when he followed him in after an impressive run of his own.
Overnight leader Romero tumbled down the leaderboard as he bogeyed the first, third and fifth and he was still three over for his round before he made the most of the back nine’s pair of par fives.
An approach to tap-in range at the 17th then put him in the play-off, but he missed the green with his second as Gagli found the water on the trip back up the 18th, leaving the other three players over their birdie putts for the dramatic finale.
And just as in his rookie season 11 years ago when he lost a play-off after bogeying the last, McIlroy was to miss out on the trophy yet again.
