Seven shots back, then gone
Joe Dean was tied 25th when Sunday’s final round began. He finished the week three clear.
The 32-year-old Englishman had returned to The Belfry early this morning to mop up the last four holes of a weather-delayed third round, birdieing two of them for a 71 that still left him seven adrift of Daniel Hillier. Nobody was writing about him at that point. By mid-afternoon nobody was writing about anyone else.
Dean signed for a nine-under 63 to equal the course record on the Brabazon. Nine birdies, four of them in his final six holes. He tapped in at the par-five 17th and rolled in a 10-footer at the last to set the clubhouse target at 14 under with more than half the field still out on the course.
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The chase that never came
Marco Penge had the tournament in his hands. The overnight co-leader was one behind with eight holes left, playing in front of a home crowd that wanted a home winner. Then came his back nine. A bogey at the par-four eighth handed Dean a share of the lead, and although Penge birdied the ninth to edge back in front, he found trees off the 17th tee and dropped a shot he could not afford.
He closed bogey-bogey for a level-par 72 and slid to tied sixth. Hillier shot 73, Jakob Skov Olesen and Niklas Norgaard both signed for 71, and Nacho Elvira posted 69. All four finished three back and shared second place. Dean had been done for more than 90 minutes by the time it was mathematically over.
Fabrizio Zanotti was briefly tied second until a triple bogey at the last dropped him five strokes off the winner.
From delivery driver to the Ryder Cup list
Dean started the week 292nd in the world and used to drive a supermarket delivery van before golf paid the bills. His wife caddied for him. His stated goal on Sunday morning was a top-15 finish and enough Race to Dubai points to keep his card for next season.
“Winning wasn’t anywhere in my thoughts,” he said afterwards. Instead he now leads Team Europe’s Ryder Cup points list. Tom McKibbin, a late addition to the field after LIV Golf’s Team Championship was cancelled, tied for sixth on 10 under alongside Penge and Thomas Rosenmueller. Tyrrell Hatton finished tied 46th on three under, two clear of Patrick Reed.
The DP World Tour moves to Crans-sur-Sierre next week for the Omega European Masters, where Thriston Lawrence defends.
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