Frittelli exorcises demons to take Lyoness Open title

Six weeks after squandering a four-shot lead with seven holes to play in the China Open, South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli held his nerve to claim his first European Tour title in the Lyoness Open.

Frittelli, a former college teammate of two-time major winner Jordan Spieth, carded a final round of 67 at Lyoness Country Club to finish 12 under par, a shot ahead of David Horsey, Jbe Kruger and Mikko Korhonen.

The 27-year-old from Johannesburg began the day two shots off the lead, but birdied three of the first four holes and picked up another shot on the ninth to move to the top of the leaderboard.

Another birdie on the 11th briefly gave Frittelli a two-shot advantage, but that turned into a one-shot deficit when he bogeyed the 14th and compatriot Kruger followed an eagle on the 12th with birdies on the 15th and 16th.

England’s Richard McEvoy also birdied the 15th and 16th to reach 12 under, only to bogey the last two holes and have to settle for fifth place, while Frittelli birdied the 16th to regain a share of top spot.

Kruger then bogeyed the 18th and after crucially saving par from over the 17th green, Frittelli produced a superb tee shot to the heart of the green on the last to set up a winning par.