Bernd Wiesberger wins Shenzhen International

Bernd Wiesberger birdied the first play-off hole to win the Shenzhen International against Tommy Fleetwood, who had set the Sunday pace with an nine-under-par 63.

Wiesberger, who had held a three-shot lead overnight on 15-under at the Genzon Golf Club, shot a one-under-par round of 71 to force the play-off with the World No.33.

It looked likely Wiesberger would surrender his chance on the 17th hole as he found the water from the tee, but a brilliant recovery meant he was able to total nine-pars in a row on the back nine to meet clubhouse leader Fleetwood back at the 18th tee.

Taking a risky line, Wiesberger nearly found the water once more on the first play-off hole, but another impressive approach left him with a five foot putt for birdie to clinch his fourth European Tour victory as Fleetwood had to settle for par.

“I’m feeling a bit relieved now I have to say,” said Wiesberger. “I’ve had a stretch of really good events the last couple of months and it’s really nice to have a trophy again.

“We have really good players out here, all up for it, playing well and throwing a lot at me. At the end of the day I’m just glad I got myself into the spot where I could play for the title.”

“Tommy has had a great day today and I’m just grateful to make that one shot when I needed to.

“I just wanted to get off to a good start and show them that I’m up for it and I did, scrapped around a little bit, had a couple of near misses with good looks at it early on. It could have gotten to me but I stayed calm, played on decently.”

Tommy Fleetwood has a phenomenal record at the Shenzhen International, but will be disappointed that he has to settle with yet another runner-up finish at a course he has never shot over-par at. Fleetwood, who won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship earlier this year, finished 2nd in 2014 and 3rd in 2015, but the Englishman can take confidence after bouncing back in his first tournament since missing the cut at the Masters.

At one stage both Ross Fisher and George Coetzee also held a share of the lead, but a three-putt bogey on the last left Fisher out of the play-off while Coetzee found the water twice on the last hole to end up with an eight – leaving him at 12-under for the tournament and outside of the top 10.

Fisher was joined at 15-under by Frenchman Grégory Bourdy, who birdied both the 16th and 17th holes to card a 67, one shot ahead of Dylan Frittelli, David Lipsky and Fabrizio Zanotti.