Dylan Frittelli wins Lyoness Open

The South African claimed his maiden European Tour title in Austria

Dylan Fritelli wins Lyoness Open
Dylan Fritelli wins Lyoness Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)

South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli won the Lyoness Open at the Diamond CC in Atzenbrugg, Austria by a single shot from David Horsey, Jbe Kruger and Mikko Korhonen.

Dylan Frittelli of South Africa fired a superb final round of 67 to win the Lyoness Open powered by Organic+ by a single shot from his countryman Jbe Kruger, Finland’s Mikko Korhonen and David Horsey of England.

Frittelli started the final round two back of the overnight leader Felipe Aguilar of Chile but he moved to the top of the board with birdies at the 1st, 3rd and 4th holes.

The competition was tense on the back nine and the South African was joined at the top of the pile by his countryman Jbe Kruger after he had made back to back birdies on the 15th and 16th holes.

But Frittelli showed his grit with a birdie of his own at the 16th. When Kruger dropped a shot at the last, Frittelli was able to par the home hole and secure the title.

"I'm really happy with the way the week went - super stoked to get my first win on the European Tour - I think it's been a long time coming and I am glad to be inside the winner's circle.,” he said "I was just trying to get it on the green, make a par and avoid a play-off. My zero and two record in play-offs is not very good so I didn't want to have extra guys in the play-off trying to beat them on the 18th.

3 Talking points from the Lyoness Open

1 - Dylan Frittelli secured his first win on the European Tour and it was significant. Not only does he now have guaranteed playing rights until the end of 2018, but he has also move well up the Race to Dubai rankings. "Hopefully I get into The Open with this performance and it should move me up the Race to Dubai and open up some more doors down the road,” he said. “I was pretty relaxed through the back nine actually. I felt a lot more nervous in China and gained a lot from that experience having lost to Alex Levy in a play-off, but I felt good coming down the back nine and hit some really crucial shots, so I’m really proud of how I handled the nerves."

2- David Horsey compiled an excellent final round to finish in a tie for second. The Englishman had fired a course record 64 on Friday and he posted a brilliant 65 on Sunday to climb the board and end the week as joint runner-up.

The importance of the pre-round warm up video:

3 – It was a poor final round for overnight leader Felipe Aguilar. The Chilean closed with a 75 to drop down the board and end the week in a tie for 10th, six back of Fritelli.

Lyoness Open Diamond CC, Atzenbrugg, Vienna, Austria Jun 8-11 Purse: €1,000,000

1    Dylan Frittelli (RSA)    70    71    68    67    276 T2    David Horsey (Eng)    75    64    73    65    277 T2    Jbe Kruger (RSA)        69    73    68    67    277 T2    Mikko Korhonen (Fin)    71    73    66    67    277 5    Richard Mcevoy (Eng)    72    71    67    68    278 6    Johan Carlsson (Swe)    67    71    71    70    279 T7    Joost Luiten (Ned)    73    72    70    66    281 T7    Lucas Bjerregaard (Den) 70    72    70    69    281 T7    Sepp Straka (Aut)    69    70    70    72    281

 

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?