Thriston Lawrence Recovers From Shaky Start To Claim Emotional Omega European Masters Win

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the 2025 Omega European Masters final round at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Switzerland.

The weather in the mountains is beautiful today and the action is hotting up, too, with a cluster of talented pros going head-to-head for the title. Matt Wallace currently leads by just a single stroke, but with challengers stacking up behind him and eight of the past 11 tournaments going to a playoff, there is every chance this one will require extra holes as well.

Stick with us as we bring you all of the key updates as they happen until a champion is crowned later today. Thanks for tuning in.

VALIMAKI MAKES A MOVE

One of the challengers has made a little step towards Wallace at the top. Finland's Sami Valimaki - often seen on the PGA Tour this year - birdies the par-5 ninth to move onto 16-under, three shots behind Wallace.

The final trio are about to play their second shots into the ninth as they look to make gains of their own.

ADVANTAGE FITZPATRICK

After Lawrence comes up just short with a wood of some kind, Fitzpatrick rips a 3-wood out of the left fairway bunker and onto the front edge of the putting surface. That is a stunner and sets up his eagle chance.

Wallace goes next but pushes his 3-wood into the first cut on the right. Still, it should be possible to get up and down from there, providing the lie isn't a bit tricky.

CLASSY TOUCH

Lawrence moves to 19-under after a wonderful little pitch shot to kick-in range. He controlled the spin perfectly and has temporarily moved alongside Wallace.

MANSELL DROPS A SHOT

At the par-4 10th, Richard Mansell makes a bit of a mess of the hole and walks away with a bogey which drops him back to 16-under.

WALLACE OUT IN 32

Wallace wrapped his putter against the ball from the first cut and sent it a good three or four feet past the hole on the opposite side of the green. That was for eagle.

Coming back, Wallace confidently poured in his birdie chance to reach 20-under and re-establish that one-stroke lead over Lawrence. Meanwhile, Matt Fitzpatrick easily two-putts to recover the shot he let slip at the last via a clumsy three-putt.

MANSELL SAVES PAR

Mansell was in danger of dropping another stroke at the 11th, but he fires in a 10-footer to save his par. The Englishman remains at 16-under and is still, just about, in touch.

LAWRENCE GOES CLOSE

Fitzpatrick sticks a wedge to 15-20 feet, hole-high, before Wallace sees his approach just fall off the left edge. It should still be possible to putt it from there, though.

But the best is saved until last as Thriston Lawrence drops his ball to within two feet, a shot which should see him pull alongside Wallace once more.

LAWRENCE INTO A SHARE

Fitzpatrick and Wallace go close at the 10th, but they both have to settle for par. No such worries for Lawrence, however, as the South African rolls his birdie putt home to join Wallace on 20-under.

OUTSIDE SHOUTS

The leading trio have reached the par-3 11th, and all three have a decent look at birdie. None of them are amazing chances, but it is just as likely that they all walk off with a two as it is they make three. For Fitzpatrick, who is three behind, his has to go in if the Englishman is to have a chance of winning.

HOJGAARD SNEAKING UP THE RAIL

Rasmus Hojgaard has enjoyed an excellent couple of weeks, and it could improve yet if he were to shock the leaders and win this week. He's just birdied the 12th to reach 16-under, so he's within four now...

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

All three leading players go close to birdies at the par-3 11th, Fitzpatrick was closest as his effort lipped out, but they each walk away with a comfortable par. So it's as you were at the top.

BIRDIES AT A PREMIUM

It's all gone a little quiet in terms of birdie action at the moment. The final cluster of groups have reached a part of the course where gains don't quite come as easily as they do at the start or at the end. As a result, it's a case of trying to avoid mistakes in order to put your foot to the gas as the clubhouse comes into view.

HOJGAARD AGAIN

Oh, hello. Rasmus Hojgaard rolls in a 15-footer at the 13th to move alongside Matt Fitzpatrick on 17-under. As it stands, the top four have all won this event before...

LAWRENCE LAUNCHING HIS ATTACK

The South African might be about to re-take the lead. A lead he quite frankly threw away over the first three holes via three consecutive bogeys. With a short iron in hand, Lawrence fired a dart into the 12th green and doesn't have much left for his birdie. Wallace, meanwhile, is 15-20 feet away.

OVERNIGHT LEADER BACK AHEAD

And there it is. Thriston Lawrence just about finds enough of the hole's left edge to secure his birdie and move on to 21-under-par for the week. He's six-under through his past six holes. Talk about timing.

In response, neither Fitzpatrick nor Wallace are able to find the birdie.

THE EAGLE LANDS FOR HOJGAARD

Rasmus Hojgaard is flying here. The Dane rolls home a long-range eagle try from 25-30 feet to move within two of Lawrence. There's another par-5 at the 15th and a superb drive could give the Ryder Cup member a chance of putting further pressure on the final group. Aside from Lawrence, Hojgaard is playing the best golf right now.

SUPER SAMI VALIMAKI

The scorecard will say that Sami Valimaki made an eagle at the par-5 14th, and he did, but the way he went about it was incredible. The Finn's tee shot was snap-hooked onto the 15th fairway before he launched a high iron onto the green from a blind position on the other side of the trees. The eagle chance landed from 25-30 feet, and somehow Valimaki is within three again!

TROUBLE FOR RASMUS

Shortly after the leading trio all make par at the 13th, Rasmus Hojgaard stood over his approach into the par-5 15th with a long iron in hand but pushed it wildly right. There is a hazard area in the general region his ball landed. Only time will tell whether that's a dropped shot or he's escaped without trouble.

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Hojgaard's ball is playable, but it's right on the edge of the penalty area, so all the young Dane can do is stab it out a few yards in front of him. Still, it could have been worse.

Meanwhile, in a similar vein, Matt Fitzpatrick's tee shot at the par-5 14th has gone right towards the netting which protects the driving range and is over the white line which marks out of bounds. Consequently, the Englishman is heading back to the tee and will be playing three from there.

HUGE MISTAKE FROM WALLACE

Is that the tournament? Wallace is in the middle of the fairway at the 14th but, from 220 yards, he carves his second right and into the water.

To make matters worse for the Englishman, Lawrence has found the back edge of the green with his approach, leaving a lengthy putt for eagle.

CAN FITZPATRICK SAVE PAR?

Somehow, off the 14th tee, Fitzpatrick puts his drive out of bounds and, with his third, he finds the fairway, leaving a mid-range iron into the green.

Needing to get up-and-down for par, he plays a great shot that finishes nine-foot from the pin. It would be an incredible par save for the Englishman, who is currently 17-under and four back of Lawrence.

SCORES ON THE 14TH

Wallace takes a drop, but plays a great wedge shot to six-feet. Lawrence, who is at the back of the green, rolls his eagle attempt to around four-foot, while Fitzpatrick misses his par attempt from under 10-foot.

It's a bogey for Fitzpatrick, who drops back to 16-under. Wallace, meanwhile, pulls his putt left and taps-in for a costly bogey. He is now 19-under, which is three back of Lawrence, who birdies to jump to 22-under.

YOUR LEADER BY 3

PERFECT DRIVE FROM LAWRENCE

The par 5 15th requires a good tee shot and, stepping up, Lawrence stripes it up the center of the fairway, with Wallace following him with the driver.

Both men are on the short grass and will have a go at the green, with Lawrence 258 yards away, while Wallace is 254 yards from the flag.

MISTAKE FROM LAWRENCE

What is going on? He is leading by three and, with a hybrid in hand, Lawrence carves it right into the penalty area. That's a huge mistake, especially as Wallace finds the back bunker and will have a relatively easy up-and-down coming up for birdie.

It's not just Wallace who is in pursuit, as Rasmus Hojgaard puts his approach close at the 17th and will have a look at birdie. That would put him nine-under through his last 12 holes...

BIG SLICE OF LUCK FOR LAWRENCE

Lawrence's ball seemed lost in the penalty area but, somehow, it has been located and it's not in bad shape.

It is in the thick rough, but he can play it, and with the South African being so close to the green, he should be able to at least pitch it on to the short grass.

PAR FOR LAWRENCE

Just like that, Lawrence makes a par and remains 22-under. He could have lost his second, which he didn't, and could have had a tough up-and-down, which he didn't, as he was able to pick-and-place after remaining on the fringe.

In his group, Fitzpatrick makes a birdie despite a poor chip, with the Englishman getting back to 17-under. Wallace, meanwhile, also makes birdie despite a poor bunker shot, with his putt finding the left-edge. He is now 20-under, two back of Lawrence.

HOJGAARD MOVES TO 20-UNDER

The Dane is flying today, with his birdie attempt at the 17th dropping. He is now nine-under through his last 12 holes, as well as 20-under for the event.

SUPERB FROM THE FINAL GROUP

Wallace is showing serious grit after the bogey at the 14th and, after birdieing the 15th, the Englishman puts it to eight-foot at the 16th, with a great chance for birdie coming up.

In his group, Fitzpatrick puts his approach even closer, leaving just three-feet for birdie. Not to be outdone, and needing to respond, Lawrence also finds the green, leaving 10-foot for his birdie.

BIG MISS FOR WALLACE

Lawrence is first to play at the par 3 16th, with his birdie putt pulled and missing left. He remains at 22-under and two shots clear of Wallace, whose attempt for birdie is shoved right.

The Englishman remains two back of Lawrence with two holes remaining, but that was a great chance to halve the deficit! Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, makes his birdie to get to 18-under.

EXCELLENT ROUND FROM RASMUS

His charge may have been a little late, but it's still an exceptional round from Rasmus Hojgaard, who fires an eight-under 62, which included seven birdies and an eagle in his last 14 holes.

He finishes 20-under, while his playing partner, Richard Mansell, birdies the 18th for a five-under 65. He finishes at 18-under and currently shares fifth with Fitzpatrick.

APPROACH SHOTS AT THE 17TH

Wallace finds the fairway with his tee shot at the penultimate hole and, with a wedge in hand, his approach is all over the flag. However, it pitches a few yards to far and finishes 20-foot from the hole.

Lawrence and Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, are in the fairway bunker, with Lawrence putting his second to 13-foot, while Fitzpatrick puts his approach to five-foot.

Stepping up first, Wallace's putt slides by the left-side, with the Englishman tapping in for par. Lawrence's birdie attempt, meanwhile, comes up short, but he is two shots clear going down the last. Fitzpatrick, from short range, rolls his putt in for a third straight birdie. He is now 19-under.

VALIMAKI GETS TO 20-UNDER

It's been a great week for Sami Valimaki, who birdies the final hole to get to 20-under, moving alongside Hojgaard and Wallace.

Back on the 18th tee, Fitzpatrick goes left, while Wallace and Lawrence find the fairway, with both leaving wedges into the final green.

GREENS FOUND AT THE LAST

Fitzpatrick is up first and, from the rough, he puts his wedge shot from 140 yards to 20 feet.

Following Fitzpatrick is Wallace who, from 95 yards, puts his wedge past the flag and to 15-feet, while Lawrence follows him with a very similar approach, with his second finishing up 19-feet from the flag.

IMPRESSIVE STUFF FROM LAWRENCE

It's been an incredible recovery from Lawrence, who opened his final round with three straight bogeys. At one point, he was 15-under, but five birdies and an eagle has put him two clear with a minimum of two putts for victory.

THRISTON LAWRENCE WINS THE OMEGA EUROPEAN MASTERS

PARS AT THE LAST

Fitzpatrick and Wallace are unable to convert their birdie putts from 15-feet, as both men tap in for par to finish 19-and-20-under-par. Fitzpatrick is solo fifth, while Wallace finishes in a three-way tie for second.

That leaves the floor clear for Lawrence, who rolls his birdie putt up to gimme range, tapping in for par and an emotional victory.

It's an incredible win for the South African who, in 18 starts on the PGA Tour, made just six cuts. Lawrence claims his second Omega European Masters title and fifth DP World Tour win.

THE WINNING PUTT

CHAMPION REACTS