Guido Migliozzi won his fourth DP World Tour title at the KLM Open with a sixth birdie of the week on the 18th seeing him prevail from a three-man play-off in the Netherlands.
The Italian entered the final day one shot off the lead at The International but found himself three clear in a tie for the top spot at one point and led alone by one early on the back nine before a pair of bogeys left him two behind.
He then birdied the 16th and 18th to sign for a roller coaster 70 and finish at 11 under alongside Joe Dean and Marcus Kinhult.
The trio all made two-putt birdies on the first trip back up the par-five last and while Dean and Kinhult both made par at the second attempt despite the Englishman hitting a poor tee-shot and the Swede finding the water, Migliozzi found the green in two and left himself two feet for a sixth four on the closing hole and a dramatic win.
Migliozzi’s victory sees him earn a place at The Open Championship next month alongside Dean, who edged out Kinhult for the second spot by virtue of his higher Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
Peter Cowen, said of the victory, ‘I have been helping Guido since the back end of 2023. I have been impressed with his golf and I have been saying for a few weeks to anyone who is listening that something special was about to happen to Guido. It has perhaps come sooner than we thought – but this is great news and well deserved.’
Migliozzi will play in the Men’s Golf Competition in the Olympics in France in August representing Italy along with Matteo Manassero.
Dean came home in 30 to post a closing 68, the same score as Kinhult, with Dane Rasmus Højgaard and Italy’s Andrea Pavan finishing a shot out of the play-off.
Migliozzi burst onto the DP World Tour scene in some style five years ago, winning twice in his debut season after coming through the Qualifying School.
He also won the Open de France in 2022, producing possibly the shot of the season to take the title on the last and once again he has won a prestigious national open after late drama. ‘I never thought I was done,’ said Migliozzi, who moves up to eighth on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and third on the European Swing.
Højgaard shared the lead on several occasions but his chances were gone when he found the water on the 16th in a 70 also containing a double-bogey and four birdies, while Pavan made six birdies in a bogey-free 65.
Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin also carded a 65 to finish at nine under, one clear of South African Thomas Aiken, Matteo Manassero and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, with Finn Korhonen finishing the week four shots out of the play-off.
Other movers and shakers in the Race to Dubai Rankings still dominated by Rory McIlroy (NI) include: Joe Dean (Eng) up 29 spots to 30th and Kinault (Swe) up 100 spots to 81.
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