Get to Know DP World Tour Winner Daniel Gavins - Profile, Stats, Ranking

Daniel Gavins found water twice at the final hole and then holed a 30-foot double-bogey putt to win the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in the most dramatic fashion.

The 31-year-old held a two-shot lead as he headed to the 18th tee but with nearest challenger Alexander Björk bogeying the last, Gavins had a double-bogey putt from around 30 feet at the 18th to set the new target at 17 under par.

And he duly holed it to limit the damage to two dropped shots, but there were still twists and turns to come as third-round leader Zander Lombard gave himself an eagle chance on the last to potentially force a play-off.

But South African Lombard narrowly missed his putt from 24 feet to hand Gavins a second title to add to the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf Management crown he won in 2021.

• Player Profile
• Last 10 Events
• Key Stats
• Official World Golf Ranking - Last 3 Years

Gavins closed with a 69 that contained eight birdies - including five in a row from the second hole - as well as three bogeys and that closing double bogey.

Björk and Lombard were in a tie for second on 16 under, with Adrian Meronk and Thorbjørn Olesen another shot further back.

Gavins said: "I am pretty speechless. I thought [I had thrown it away]. I put two in the water and thought 'that's one way to end the tournament’.

"I have been struggling off the tee for the last two weeks, I've been battling, and it was a difficult hole to go through. Fortunately I holed out! I thought I was holing it for a play-off. I didn't realise Bjork had made bogey.

"I was pretty relaxed all day even though my swing off the tee wasn't great. I obviously felt it a lot on the 18th but other than that I was pretty calm."

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Player Profile

Gavins was born in Leeds on March 20, 1991. He lives in Pontefract in Yorkshire and learned the game as a junior at Wheatley Golf Club. Off the course enjoys playing snooker, pool and squash, and says Mark Selby, Judd Trump and Andy Roddick are his sporting heroes.

Gavins earned his maiden DP World Tour victory at the 2021 ISPS HANDA World Invitational, overturning a seven-stroke deficit in the final round to win by one stroke from David Horsey. He spent two years on the PGA EuroPro Tour before earning Challenge Tour exemption for 2014. He could not make an impact on the second tier and was back on the PGA EuroPro Tour in 2015, losing a play-off in the season finale in October but more than making amends by securing a rookie season on the 2016 Race to Dubai.

He began the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in 95th place in the Race to Dubai and rose to 7th. He began the week ranked 296th in the world.

Last 10 Events

Ras Al Khaimah Championship - 1st

Hero Dubai Desert Classic - T38th

Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship - CUT

The Investec South African Open Championship - CUT

Joburg Open - T30th

Portugal Masters - T63rd

Mallorca Golf Open - CUT

Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters - CUT

Acciona Open de Espana - T39th

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship - 6th

2023 Player Stats

Driving Accuracy - 40%

Driving Distance - 299.42 Yards

Greens in Regulation - 66.24%

Putts Per Gir - 1.51

Average Putts Per Round - 27.62

Sand Saves - 63.16%

Stroke Average - 69.94

End of Year World Ranking Position

2020: 995

2021: 173

2022: 288

European Tour Winner Daniel Gavins WITB & Interview