Luiten clinches Dutch Open with dazzling 63

September 12, 2016 | 14:23

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SPIJK, Netherlands: Local favourite Joost Luiten lived to his billing as the home hero with a record-equalling final round 63 to clinch the Dutch Open in Spijk on Sunday (Sep 11).

Netherlands' Joost Luiten waves during the final day of the KLM Open golf tournament in Spijk. (AFP/Ronald Speijer)

The 30-year-old produced a dazzling display of iron play and long-range putting to deny Austrian Bernd Wiesberger by three shots.

The pair went blow for blow for much of the fourth round but three birdies in his final five holes helped Luiten to a 19 under par total of 265.

Luiten was the first Dutch player to win his home Open twice since it joined the European Tour in 1972 - following his win in 2013 - and makes him a five-time winner on Tour.

It is his first win for almost two years and reward for a brilliantly consistent 2016 so far that saw him come into the week with eight top tens including two runner-up finishes and represent the Netherlands at the Olympic Men's Golf Competition in Rio.

South Korea's Byeong-hun An was third at 13 under after matching Austria's Wiesberger with a 65, a shot ahead of Spaniard Alejandro Cañizares, English duo Ben Evans and David Horsey and Australia's Scott Hend.

England's Chris Hanson and Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera were then at 11 under, a shot ahead of Tommy Fleetwood, Scott Jamieson, Simon Khan, Mikko Korhonen, Soomin Lee and Brandon Stone.

AFP

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