Marcel Siem wins BMW Masters

Marcel Siem came through a playoff to win the BMW Masters in Shanghai

Marcel Siem wins BMW Masters
Marcel Siem wins BMW Masters
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Germany’s Marcel Siem chipped in to win a playoff for the BMW Masters in Shanghai against Ross Fisher of England and France’s Alexander Levy.

Germany’s Marcel Siem chipped in to win a playoff for the BMW Masters in Shanghai against Ross Fisher of England and France’s Alexander Levy.

On a day where windy conditions were making scoring difficult, there were some extraordinary changes in fortune through the final round at Lake Malaren Golf Club.

Alexander Levy had taken a four shot lead into Sunday. Siem caught him after nine holes, although Levy regained the advantage with six to play when Siem bogeyed the 12th.

But the Frenchman, who had looked irresistible over the first three rounds, collapsed on the run for home. He double-bogeyed the par-5 13th and followed that with further bogeys at the 14th, 16th and 18th holes. He played the last six in five-over-par.

Siem struggled on the back nine too, with five bogeys countered by just one birdie. Both men finished on 16-under-par, a total already posted by Ross Fisher who had closed with an excellent 67.

Jamie Donaldson had a chance to make the playoff but he left a birdie putt agonisingly short on the 72nd green.

Extra holes were required to separate Siem, Fisher and Levy. Both Levy and Fisher found the green in regulation on Lake Malaren’s testing 18th hole, Siem’s approach narrowly missed the putting surface.

The German was first to play and the fact he had the flag removed signaled his intent. He played a delicate chip that rolled inexorably towards the cup and dropped in for a birdie three. Neither Fisher nor Levy were able to make their birdie putts so the title was Siem’s.

It was the German’s fourth European Tour victory and it has moved him to fourth place on the Race to Dubai.

BMW Masters Lake Malaren Golf Club, Shanghai, China Oct 27 – Nov 2, purse $7,000,000, par 72

1    Marcel Siem (Ger)    68    66    65    73    272    $1,166,660 T2    Ross Fisher (Eng)        70    67    68    67    272    $608,600 T2    Alexander Levy (Fra)    65    66    63    78    272    $608,600 T4    Justin Rose (Eng)        72    65    64    72    273    $325,050 T4    Jamie Donaldson (Wal)    68    68    62    75    273    $325,050 T6    Romain Wattel (Fra)    66    67    71    70    274    $227,950 T6    Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)    66    64    73    71    274    $227,950 T8    Ryan Palmer (USA)    70    67    68    70    275    $167,750 T8    Emilano Grillo (Arg)    66    68    69    72    275    $167,750 T10    Fabrizio Zanotti (Par)    70    68    69    69    276    $125,367 T10    Mikko Ilonen (Fin)    70    66    69    71    276    $125,367 T10    George Coetzee (RSA)    71    67    67    71    276    $125,367

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

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?