Adrian Otaegui staged an impressive comeback to win his fifth DP World Tour title at the Volvo China Open and secure a spot in the upcoming US PGA Championship.
Starting the final round five shots behind leader Sebastian Söderberg, Otaegui made a strong start with four birdies and five pars on the front nine to share the lead at the turn. He continued his momentum with another birdie on the 13th hole, followed by back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 to take the lead at 18 under par.
The Spaniard maintained his composure and closed with a seven under par 65 to secure a one-shot victory over Guido Migliozzi, who finished in second place.
Söderberg stumbled with a final tee-shot out of bounds, resulting in a double bogey on the last hole, which dropped him into a tie for third place with Paul Waring and Joel Girrbach. Lloyd Jefferson Go finished in sixth place at 15 under par, while Brandon Stone shot a final-round 64 to finish in seventh.
Otaegui commented on his victory, saying, “I had to wait a little bit to see how things turned out, but I’m extremely happy with the result. I tried not to focus on the leaderboard and just play my game. I hit some great shots on the last few holes and felt good about my game.”
In addition to the title, Otaegui’s win also earned him a spot in the US PGA Championship, along with Söderberg and Keita Nakajima, who finished second on the Asian Swing Rankings.
Otaegui expressed his excitement about playing in a Major event, stating, “Playing in the PGA Championship was a big goal for me, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity. I look forward to competing in America in two weeks.”
