EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR RE[ORT AND SCORES

Ricardo Gouveia receives the trophy after his play-off win in Rome. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images (c)

GOUVEIA BEATS FRITSCH IN PLAY-OFF
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Ricardo Gouveia claimed his maiden European Challenge Tour title in dramatic fashion as the Portuguese defeated Germany’s Florian Fritsch at the third play-off hole to win the EMC Golf Challenge Open in Rome in just his seventh event.
The 23-year-old only turned professional in July before making his debut in the paid ranks at the Slovakia Challenge, following a glittering amateur career in the American collegiate ranks where he studied at the University of Central Florida.
But he showed the nerves and determination of a seasoned champion when he came up against Fritsch in the play-off, having carded a four under par 67 to make up the two-shot overnight deficit and force extra holes.
In a dramatic finale at the stunning Olgiata Golf Club, Gouveia almost holed a monster putt at the first time of asking for a birdie that would have sealed it before he produced a superb up and down, from a bunker 40 yards from the green, at the second extra hole for a bogey which was matched by Fritsch after he missed a seven footer for a winning par.
Both players went right off the tee at the third play-off hole, this time the tenth hole after playing the 18th twice, but it was Gouveia who produced  a seven iron to five feet to set up for a winning birdie and a career-changing victory.
“I cannot even describe how good I feel right now,” said Gouveia, who moved to 49th in the Challenge Tour Rankings from 167th. “It hasn’t even sunk in yet how big this is for me.
“This was supposed to be my final event of the year and I got through Qualifying School First Stage so I was just looking at Second Stage of that and now everything changes."
Gouveia admitted he has surprised even himself with the rapid nature of his rise and, as he heads to his home town of Vilamoura next week for the Portugal Masters, he is ready to reset his goals and vie for a European Tour card at the end of the Challenge Tour season.
Fritsch, meanwhile, was handed a huge consolation in defeat as his outright second place finish means he has virtually secured his European Tour card for next year.
The 28 year old, who carded a final round 69 in Rome, moved to seventh in the Rankings on €92,943 but will not travel for the Challenge Tour’s ‘Final Swing’ – the four lucrative season-ending events in China, Oman and Dubai – due to his fear of flying.

FINAL TOTALS
par 284 (4x71)
275 R Gouveia (Por) 68 71 69 67, F Fritsch  (Ger) 70 67 69 69 (Gouveia won play-off at third extra hole)
279 B Hebert  (Fra) 71 67 72 69, E Espana (Fra) 68 73 72 66
280 A Tadini (Ita) 70 71 69 70
281 J Guerrier  (Fra) 68 71 69 73
282 M Delpodio  (Ita) 70 71 71 70, M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 75 67 70 70
284 A Hortal  (Esp) 68 72 72 72, P Edberg (Swe) 71 71 71 71,
285 M Jonzon (Swe) 69 73 71 72, P Price (Wal) 72 70 72 71, R Coles (Eng) 72 73 70 70, N Ravano (Ita) 70 76 68 71, O Farr (Wal) 70 74 68 73, T Sluiter  (Ned) 71 72 74 68
286 L Jensen (Den) 71 70 73 72
287 J Palmer (Eng) 68 77 72 70, M Tullo (Chi) 70 73 71 73, N Quintarelli (Ita) 71 72 74 70
288 J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 74 70 70 74, A Bruschi  (Ita) 74 67 74 73, M Lafeber (Ned) 72 71 76 69, T Linard (Fra) 69 76 72 71,
289 C Hanson (Eng) 74 71 73 71, D Coupland (Eng) 70 73 73 73,
290 D Gaunt (Eng) 72 72 73 73, C Ford (Eng) 72 73 70 75, L Kennedy  (Eng) 72 74 71 73, C Brazillier  (Fra) 70 72 74 74, H Joannes  (Bel) 73 73 71 73, P Widegren  (Swe) 74 70 71 75
291 J Stalter (Fra) 72 75 69 75, D Kemmer (USA) 75 72 71 73, P Oriol (Esp) 74 72 70 75, P Maddy (Eng) 71 71 74 75, R McEvoy  (Eng) 73 69 72 77
292 J Edfors (Swe) 74 71 73 74, M Ford (Eng) 73 73 71 75, A Kaleka  (Fra) 67 72 71 82
293 J Fahrbring (Swe) 75 72 71 75, J Sjöholm (Swe) 72 72 73 76, D Ulrich (Sui) 73 74 68 78, A Marshall (Eng) 72 74 70 77, A Velasco (Esp) 72 75 72 74, J Barnes (Eng) 74 72 78 69
294 P Erofejeff (Fin) 75 70 74 75, A Snobeck  (Fra) 75 71 67 81, O Floren  (Swe) 73 70 73 78, S Henry  (Sco) 75 68 78 73, S Little (Eng) 68 79 75 72, J Elson  (Eng) 71 74 75 74, A Rota (Ita) 74 71 74 75, K Benz (Sui) 75 70 76 73
295 R Russell (Sco) 73 72 76 74, P Relecom  (Bel) 73 74 73 75
296 J Huldahl (Den) 69 73 75 79
297 B Åkesson (Swe) 76 70 78 73, M Dobias  (Sui) 70 74 79 74,
298 T Pulkkanen  (Fin) 74 70 77 77, M Wiegele  (Aut) 80 66 73 79,
300 W Besseling  (Ned) 75 72 77 76
301 M Cea (am) (Ita) 77 68 77 79
** J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 70 71 71 DQ,

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