19-Year-Old Rasmus Hojgaard Wins Second Title At UK Championship

The young Dane shot a 65 on Sunday at The Belfry before beating Justin Walters in a playoff

19-Year-Old Rasmus Hojgaard Wins Second Title At UK Championship

Rasmus Hojgaard became only the second teenager to win twice on the European Tour.

He edged out Justin Walters in a playoff at the UK Championship as the European Tour's UK Swing drew to a close.

On a dramatic final day at The Belfry, the 19-year-old from Denmark came from five strokes back to finish level with Walters on 14 under par.

Hojgaard shot seven under on day four, highlighted by two birdies and an eagle in his final five holes.

Walters on the other hand, looking for his maiden European Tour title, will be rueing his triple-bogey on the par-4 8th where he drove it out of bounds and then missed a three footer.

When the contest went to extra holes, Hojgaard held his nerve with consecutive pars down the 18th, with his South African opponent making a bogey on the second trip back down the last.

Hojgaard became the first player born in the 21st century to come through Qualifying School last year and won his first European Tour title in just his fifth start – also in a playoff - at the Mauritius Open. Italian Matteo Manassero is the only other player to have captured two titles before turning 20.

Related: Rasmus Hojgaard What's in the bag?

"It feels good. I didn’t really expect it. I started five shots back, so I was just trying to score as low and possible and see where I ended up. Ended in a play-off and win as well, so I was very happy," the Dane said.

“I did take a look at some of the leaderboards so I had a feeling of where I was but I just tried to keep my focus on what I can control, and that is setting up as many birdie chances as possible.

“It was in really goo condition and the wind dropped down a bit so you can actually give yourself a lot of chances. You can see that with the scores as well, it was gettable out there.

“I had a good amateur career and achieved a few things there. I learnt how to be in contention and manage myself, and have brought that along to my professional career, and it has been working so far which has been awesome.”

UK Championship Leaderboard

1 Rasmus Hojgaard -14

2 Justin Walters -14

3 Benjamin Herbert -13

3 Martin Kaymer -13

5 Bernd Wiesberger -12

5 Craig Howie -12

7 Marcus Armitage -11

7 Jorge Campillo -11

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