At the start of the week, players at the Italian Open had reportedly expected scores to be low at Adriatic Golf Club Cervia. However, as the course firmed up and the pins were tucked, you could be forgiven for thinking that 10-under-par would be the winning score…
It’s not as if Marcel Siem would have minded though, as the German made a birdie at the final hole of regulation play to force a playoff with Tom McKibbin, before Siem then birdied the 18th once again to defeat the player half his age, and claim a sixth DP World Tour title.
“Holing that putt on 18 was one the coolest moments in golf for me and doing it again in a play-off was fantastic,” stated Siem, whose first ever victory on the circuit came 7462 days ago on the 25th January 2004.
“It’s just amazing. Everything went so quick, my whole team is really really good… my family, they push me so hard and believe in me so much. I love this sport, I just love it and it’s so much fun to work hard for it if you get rewards like this now. I love life, I love golf, it can’t get any better at the moment.”
Beginning the final round, there was a four-way tie for the top spot, as Siem, Antoine Rozner, Shubhankar Sharma and Sebastian Friedrichsen all started at 10-under. It was set up for a thrilling conclusion and, in the early stages, it was McKibbin who made the early inroads, as he carded a six-under 65 to vault to the top of the leaderboard.
It was a good clubhouse target and, as others fell off the pace, it seemed that McKibbin’s 10-under total was going to be enough, especially when nearest rival, Siem, bogeyed the par 3 17th and dropped to nine-under-par.
Needing a birdie up the last, the 43-year-old found the green with his approach, but was still left with a 22-foot putt that would need to drop to force a playoff. Striking the ball, it looked like it may come up short but, somehow, it dropped in the left side causing Siem to let out a burst of emotion that we are all used to seeing!
Making his fourth appearance since a three month layoff following hip surgery, Siem had the momentum, especially as McKibbin had been in the clubhouse for three hours. However, at the first playoff hole, both men found the fairway, with Siem hitting into the green first.
Putting his approach to around 15-feet, McKibbin then followed Siem with a similar approach, with the 21-year-old putting first. A birdie would likely win it and, as McKibbin missed on the right side, Siem replicated his putt from 20-minutes earlier, as it fell in the centre of the cup for yet another 10/10 celebration!
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