Matthew Southgate fires blistering 62 to storm to maiden Swiss Challenge crown
The English veteran destroys the field at Golf Sempach with an eight-stroke victory to catapult his season promotion hopes.
Paju, Korea - English veteran Matthew Southgate produced a final-round masterclass by firing a brilliant nine-under-par 62 to capture his maiden HotelPlanner Tour title at the Swiss Challenge.
The 37-year-old erased a one-shot overnight deficit at Golf Sempach with a staggering burst of six front-nine birdies, pulling completely away from a helpless chasing pack to finish at 23-under par.
“I played exactly how you would dream of playing,” said an emotional Southgate, who has over 300 top-tier appearances to his name. “I stuck to the plan, expected something to go wrong, and it didn’t.”
The commanding eight-shot triumph represents a massive career breakthrough for the journeyman, who successfully capitalised on the thick Lucerne rough to ruthlessly punish his nearest rivals.
The victory vaults Southgate from 94th to ninth in the crucial Road to Mallorca rankings as the tour prepares to cross the border for next week’s Interwetten Open in Austria.