Thriston Lawrence wins a third Valais title after a gripping duel

Thriston Lawrence looked out of the running after falling six shots behind Paul Casey on Sunday morning. By the end of the day, the defending champion had produced the best round of the tournament, a 62, eight under par, and forced a playoff.

The South African then retained his Omega European Masters title by beating Casey on the fourth playoff hole at Crans-sur-Sierre. The finish delivered a tense conclusion to a tournament in which Casey had started Sunday as the leader and the crowd favorite.

Lawrence’s recovery followed a difficult Saturday, when he carded a three-over-par 3. Ranked outside the top 100 in the Race to Dubai, he benefited from the course’s unusually thick rough, which had been allowed to grow higher by tournament organizers from July onward.

Casey had promised to donate his winnings to an association supporting victims of the Constellation disaster. The Englishman’s defeat came after a duel that appeared to be turning in his favor before Lawrence’s extraordinary final round brought them together again.