Pieters earns fourth Tour title at Czech Masters

Thomas Pieters ended a three-year winless drought with a one stroke victory at the D+D Real Czech Masters

Thomas Pieters ended a three year wait for a fourth European Tour title as he claimed a one shot victory at the D+D Real Czech Masters. 

Pieters, who secured his maiden win at this same venue in 2015, became the first man to win this event twice with a final round three-under 69 at Albatross Golf Resort to beat Adri Arnaus by one.

“I’m relieved,” Pieters said. “It’s been a long time – it’s been three years since I last won.

“It feels good to win again. I never doubted myself but it’s just been a long road of not feeling that great with the golf swing. It feels good to get back on track again and get another win.

“It’s difficult when everybody says you should be winning two or three times a year. It’s always nice to hear that but it’s almost a negative sometimes because I always felt like I was underachieving but hopefully there’s many more like this.

“I felt like I was in control today, almost the whole day and I kind of did my own thing.”

The Belgian, who held the overnight lead, opened his final round with a birdie before adding back-to-back gains from the seventh, followed by a dropped shot on eight and another birdie at the ninth to retain a two shot advantage at the turn.

Pieters made another birdie at the 12th but came under pressure courtesy of a bogey on 16 that combined with a late charge from Adri Arnaus, who birdied 16 and 18 that forced Pieters to make a short par-putt at the last to avoid a playoff. 

He successfully rolled it in, and Arnaus claimed solo second on -18, two shots clear of Sam Horsfield and defending champion Andrea Pavan, who had carded the joint low round of the day with a seven-under 65.