Eagle for Augilar Wins The Championship at Laguna National in Singapore

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements

IF YOU haven't won in a while, what better way to taste victory again than by playing the final two holes in four shots? It sounds too good to be true, but that's exactly what Felipe Aguilar did to secure The Championship at Laguna National in Singapore.

A birdie two at the par-three 17th was good enough but it was his eagle two at the final hole that had to be seen to be believed. His drive left him 142 yards from the hole and he reached for a pitching wedge, hitting it straight into the hole to crown a quite astonishing final round of 62 and deny Anders Hansen and David Lipsky, who themselves recorded rounds of 67 and 65 respectively.

It was Aguilar's first European Tour title for six years and is the first time that a player has won a European Tour event by holing his second shot on a par four finishing hole.

After two birdies on the front nine, Aguilar came back in just 28 shots for a fabulous 10 under par final round of 62 on 22 under par, one shot clear of American Lipsky (65) and Dane Hansen, who crucially dropped a shot on the 16th hole just moments after Aguilar’s eagle .

It ended a six year wait for a second victory on the European Tour for the Chilean following his maiden title in the Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesian Open in 2008.

Aguilar said:  “On the 17th green I told my caddie if I make a birdie on 18 I might put some pressure on the leader and he said, 'You might make two.' I looked at him and said, 'The way I’m hitting the ball I just might make two', and I did. It’s very, very special. I didn’t think I had made it until my caddie came back and told me and the other players congratulated me. That was the cherry on the cake, definitely.

“It’s been a bit of a drought for the last six years. I’ve lost a couple of times in play-offs and had a couple of top threes and top fives, but never was able to get the round going on the last day, so it is nice to finally do it.”
Hansen was philosophical. "He finished two, two. It’s just one of those days. He had a good day, and played well obviously. I thought I played well too. If you go out last group and shoot 67 and finish -21 you think you’re in with a chance but you come up short. That’s just life.

“It’s just really, really, disappointing. To finish two-two on 17 and the 18 and hole your second shot, I don’t know what to say.”
Lipsky was pleased with his performance and chose to focus on the positives. “I was still trying to give it a run even on the last hole. I was still trying to do everything I can to win. I played really well this week. I only had four bogeys in four rounds and 23 birdies and one eagle in total. I’ll take that any week for sure. My game is in good shape now and I’m playing very well. I definitely gained a lot of experience from this week.”

Aguilar's 62 is the lowest winning final round of the season and his four-shot comeback equals the largest of the year, set by George Coetzee at the Joburg Open and Thomas Aiken at the Africa Open.

Image Credit: Facebook European Tour (www.facebook.com/TheEuropeanTour)

Derek Clements is a sports journalist with a particular passion for golf with over 12 years of experience covering golf and other sports including Chief Sub-Editor on the sports desk of The Sunday Times. To contact Derek email direct via [email protected]