Korhonen claims play-off win at Volvo China Open

Mikko Korhonen claimed his second European Tour title on the first play-off hole at the Volvo China Open 

Mikko Korhonen beat out Benjamin Hebert with an 11-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to win the Volvo China Open and his second European Tour title. 

The Finnish player had begun the day three shots behind Hebert but a final round 66 at Genzon Golf Club left the duo tied at 20-under-par, and it was Korhonen who earned the glory by nearly driving the green and getting up and down for birdie. 

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Korhonen said. “I don’t know how I did it but it’s probably the putter that was my winning formula this week. I made lots of putts from outside 15-20 feet this week.

“Winning a golf tournament is never easy. It was a battle all day as everyone was making putts and I had to stay patient and do the same.

“It’s great to have this second win in the bag and I’m delighted.”

Although Korhonen was three shots behind, he found himself in a final-round three-ball with Hebert and last week’s winner Jorge Campillo thanks to weather conditions predicted for Sunday – and it was a tussle between the three players all day.

The 38-year-old made a quick start as both he and Campillo opened up with birdies at the first, but Hebert matched the latter’s second gain in a row on two to keep two ahead, and increased that lead to three by the fourth. 

The first real momentum swing of the day came just a hole later: Hebert made his first bogey of the day, while Korhonen rolled in a long one to cut the gap to one shot, and drew level with the leader after another birdie on the 6th. 

But a mistake on the par-three 8th left Korhonen one shot back, and with Hebert getting up and down for birdie on nine and Campillo also getting a birdie, the Fin golfer suddenly found himself two back. 

Korhonen responded with back-to-back birdies from the 10th as Campillo went on an impressive run of four birdies in a row to gain a two-shot lead by the 12th, but the three players would once more find themselves in a tight pack as Hebert and Korhonen both birdied 13 and Campillo dropped a shot on 14. 

It would be Korhonen’s turn to take a short-lived hold over the field after a par-save was enough to pull one ahead on 15, but both his playing partners hit brilliant tee shots to 16 to make it a three-way tie once more. 

With the weather conditions toughening it was Korhonen who took advantage with a birdie putt from 13 feet to take a one shot lead up the last, and Hebert answered with a birdie of his own at 18 to force a play-off, while Campillo could only manage par to finish in solo third. 

Heading back to the 18th tee, which had been brought up for the final round, Hebert and Korhonen both took out their drivers to come up just short of the par-four green. In the end though, a birdie was what was needed for Korhonen to secure his second European Tour victory in as many seasons. 

Haotong Li claimed solo fourth thanks to a final round 66, while five players – Ashun Wu, Roman Langasque, Mike Lorenzo-Vera, David Lipsky and Jordan Smith – finished one shot behind Li on 15-under-par in a share of 5th. Sean Crocker rounded out the top 10 on 14-under after an impressive six-under 66 on Sunday.