Marco Penge Crowned at the Spanish Open and Secures a Place in the Masters and the British Open
English golfer Marco Penge won the Spanish Open after defeating his compatriot Daniel Brown in an exciting playoff this Sunday. This victory earns him a place in the prestigious Masters and the Open Championship next year. Penge, despite squandering a four-stroke lead, showed his mettle by achieving a birdie on the first playoff hole, securing his third European Tour title so far this year.This edition of the national tournament was special, as for the first time the winner secured a direct spot for the Masters and the Open Championship.Dan and Joel Girrbach played incredibly today. They were sinking putts, and I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole. I felt like I was really up against it,” declared Penge. “But I felt like I handled myself very well, and in fact I think from tee to green, I played very solid. Never mind the putts; I think I used them all yesterday, but obviously sinking that one was worth the wait.”
Marco Penge
Penge, with a card of 72 strokes (+1) on Sunday, finished tied with Brown at -15 for the tournament. Brown, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Saturday, rallied from five strokes behind after a standout final round of 67 (-4). Despite the discomfort in his right shoulder that required treatment, he managed to force a playoff with a birdie on the last hole. The 27-year-old, Penge, was also crowned champion at the Danish Golf Championship and the Hainan Classic. Joel Girrbach (69 strokes) was four strokes off the lead at the start of the day. The Swiss player finished third in the tournament with -14. The local favorite, Jon Rahm, who was seeking his fourth title at the Spanish Open, was not in contention at the start of the final round, but closed with a round of 65 (-6) to finish in a tie for ninth place. Shane Lowry, like Rahm, returned to action after helping Europe win the Ryder Cup last month, but failed to make the cut at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.It’s crazy,” Penge said about his participation in the Masters. “It’s a golf course I’ve always wanted to play, because I feel like my game suits it very well.”
Marco Penge
