Broberg clinches playoff to win first European Tour title

REUTERS – Swede Kristoffer Broberg won his first European Tour title prevailing over playing partner Patrick Reed in a dramatic playoff at the BMW Masters in Shanghai on Sunday.

American Reed parred the first extra hole and could only watch as Broberg made a birdie three to seal an emotion victory that left him teary-eyed on the 18th green at the Lake Malaren Golf Club.

“That’s a dream come true. I’ve worked so hard all my life for this. I have no words,” said the 29-yer-old from Stockholm who had carded a four-under-par 68 that left him and Reed (67) with identical 72-hole totals of 17-under 271.

The $7 million tournament, the penultimate in the European Tour season, witnessed its second consecutive play-off following Marcel Siem’s dramatic chip-in win last year.

South Korean An Byeong-hun (70) and overnight Thai leader Thongchai Jaidee (71) both narrowly missed putts on the final green to make the playoff. They finished one back alongside Swede Henrik Stenson (68) and Dane Lucas Bjerregaard (70).

Reed picked up four shots in four holes from the 13th, including holing from the bunker for an eagle at the 15th, to take a one-shot lead onto the 17th where he relinquished the advantage with a bogey four.

“Unfortunately in the playoff (I) left the bunker shot short which I didn’t think was possible,” Reed, who won the 2014 WGC-Cadillac Championship said after his agonising loss.

“It is what it is. Of course we’re not happy and not pleased with the result. But at the end of the day, if you would have told me I would have come over, finish second, I wouldn’t have teed it up this week; I would have taken it and left,” added the 25-year-old.

Justin Rose signed off with a 67 to share seventh place with fellow Englishman Paul Casey (69) at 15-under.

France’s Julien Quesne and Dane Soren Kjeldsen (64), who shot the low round of the day, finished a further one shot back.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who did not play here, retained his Race to Dubai lead after closest challenger Danny Willett finished tied 28th at seven under to close the gap to 1,613 points ahead of next week’s finale in the UAE.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi, editing by Patrick Johnston)