Wu putts his way into Tour history

First Chinese to win two European titles credits caddie with helping seal victory

World No 222 Wu Ashun became the first male Chinese golfer to win multiple European Tour titles when he claimed his second after emerging from a topsy-turvy final round to win the Austrian Open by a single shot on Sunday.

Wu, from Xiamen, Fujian province, was the first Chinese to win on home soil on the European Tour when he captured last year's China Open.

Wu Ashun of China holds the trophy after winning the Austrian Open on Sunday to become the first Chinese to win multiple European Tour titles. He also won the 2015 China Open. Mark Runnacles / Getty Images

 

He started Sunday one shot back of South Africa's Zander Lombard at the top of the leaderboard and won after a closing 69 to finish the week at 13-under.

Spain's Adrian Otaegui finished second at 12 under, with England's Richard McEvoy another stroke back.

England's James Morrison was fourth and Lombard finished fifth.

"I am very happy right now. It was a very exciting finish and I still cannot believe it, but my playing partners were really good today and the scores were very close," said Wu, who slipped into second place when McEvoy birdied the 13th.

"My mindset was very good today and it was a great week overall," Wu added.

A matching birdie at the 13th moved Wu back into a share of the lead before another gain two holes later saw him stand alone at the top of the leaderboard.

Otaegui fired a birdie on the 16th to join Wu at the top of the pile but the Spaniard bogeyed the next hole so pars on the final three were enough for Wu to secure the title.

"At the 10th and 11th holes I just played two bad shots. I still kept working after that to do my best to make birdies and I did that," said Wu.

"I just kept focused over the last putt and I got help from my caddie. He said, 'It's no problem, it's an easy line so just putt it in the hole.'

"It's been my first time playing in Austria and the course was very good. The sponsors have been great and I have had some Chinese friends here supporting me, so I must thank them all."

Starting the day one shot behind Lombard, Wu opened with a birdie on the first hole to move into a tie with the South African.

Wu grabbed the outright lead when he tapped in for birdie at the third, and despite hitting a tree branch with his second shot, he made a remarkable birdie on the fourth to extend his lead to two strokes.

The 30-year-old dropped a shot at the fifth but finished his back nine with an impressive flourish, carding back-to-back birdies from the eighth to move to 14-under and go three clear at the top of the leaderboard.

After taking a penalty drop when his second shot went over the back of the green, Wu carded a double bogey on the 10th to slip to 12-under and see his lead over nearest challengers McEvoy and Otaegui reduced to one shot.

Wu then missed an eight-foot par putt on the 11th to create a three-way tie at the top, before slipping into second place when McEvoy birdied the 13th.

European Tour contributed to the story.