Tyrrell Hatton started the BMW PGA Championship with a fine 66 to share the lead at Wentworth with Adri Arnaus and Justin Harding. Pictures by GETTY IMAGES

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’S Tyrrell Hatton enjoyed a happy homecoming in his first round on British soil in 2020 at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

The former Wee Wonders champion shot an opening round of 66 on the West Course to share the lead with Spain’s Adri Arnaus and South African Justin Harding.

The 28-year-old carded an eagle and five birdies, including one at the eighth – his final hole – en route to a six-under par round as he chases a third Rolex Series title, in the third Rolex event of the year.

Hatton, a member at Harleyford GC, said: “Obviously, it was tough this morning, and I hit a few poor shots.

“But the key thing was I recovered really well. I followed it up with a really good shot. That kind of kept momentum going.

“It was easy to make mistakes out there. So I’m very happy with my round.

“I think for me, I just feel pretty comfortable out on the golf course,” said Hatton, who grew up – like most of his peers and Justin Rose and Paul Casey before him – watching their idols tackle Wentworth’s premier course.

Tyrrell, who won the Turkish Airlines Open last year, added: “I’ve been around it so many times now, so kind of almost has that home course feel, and you just feel like you know it so well.

“It was a nice start and hopefully I can keep that going for the next few days.”

Former B.B.&O. player Luke Donald won the BMW PGA at Wentworth in 2011

Hatton a visitor to Wentworth for 23 years

ASKED what it would mean to follow past winners Paul Casey and Luke Donald – the latter played for B.B.&O. as an amateur like Hatton – he said: “It would be special.

“This is a tournament I’ve been coming to since I was five years old. To lift the trophy here is a goal of mine in my career.

“And hopefully I can play well the next few days and give myself a chance to do that.”

The World No, 15 won his maiden PGA Tour event at the Arnold Plamer Invitational before the coronavirus pandemic brought golf aorund the the world to a halt.

His other Rolex Series win came in the Italian Open three years ago.

Hatton was joined at the summit by South African Harding and Spaniard Arnaus, both of whom enjoyed flawless six under rounds in the more favourable afternoon conditions.

FOUR players sit a shot off the pace, including reigning Open Champion Shane Lowry, who continued his strong form on Wentworth’s West Course by opening with a five-under 67.

His round comprised five birdies and a bogey in his final six holes.

Lowry – who famously claimed the Claret Jug when The Open returned to Royal Portrush last summer, said: “I’m very happy with that.

“You know, I came here, only arrived here Tuesday night and I played a practice round yesterday – and couldn’t believe how different it was playing it this year – long and soft and difficult.

“We were very lucky with our side of the draw. I think the morning starters had it harder than we did.

“So I was happy to go out there this afternoon, and we sort of played the last few holes with not much wind. And I took advantage of that.”

The Irishman shares fourth place with former Ryder Cup player Matt Fitzpatrick, his fellow B.B.&O. team-mate Eddie Pepperell and Malaysia’s Gavin Green.

Justin Rose is in the chasing pack after shooting a 68 on Wentworth’s West Course

Rai ready to mount another Rolex charge

AARON Rai, who won his maiden Rolex Series title at last week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, and former World No. 1 Justin Rose were among those players a shot further back on four-under.

Rai, like Hatton – and top English women amateurs Annabell and Samantha Fuller – began his career to the top by winning the HSBC Wee Wonders junior competition at St Andrews some 15 years ago.

Last week’s Rolex winner said: “I’m really pleased. It’s been a different build up over the last few days to this event after last week.

“So it was nice to get started on the course and get off to a good start,” said Rai.

“I think for success on any style of golf course, there are a lot of things you’ve got going right in your game.

“And that can be taken forward to any week, such as the short game, good putting.

“I think strategy on the Monday and Tuesday, learning the course, is imperative to play well this week – and prepare for these kind of conditions.

“It was nice just to be able to put it all together today. For me it was important to get here on Monday and Tuesday to practise exactly how I normally would.

“I think it was more to show myself, really, that I’m here to try and perform as well as possible on this given week, regardless of what had happened on Sunday at the Scottish.

“To be in contention, to have a good result and to win an event is an incredible thing to take forward to this week and for the rest of the year.”

Spain’s Adri Arnaus shared the lead after the first round of the BMW PGA Championship

Arnaus likes first look of West Course

DEBUTANT Arnaus is looking for his maiden win after some good displays over the past two years.

He said: “It’s always good news when you’re not adding any strokes to your scoreboard.

“So yeah, very, very pleased with how I played. I was very on point from tee, hitting on to the green and then I rolled some putts.

“So enjoyed it a lot, my first competitive round around here, and it was very, very fun.

“The course is definitely playing a bit longer, I would say because it’s a touch wet.

“But it’s the only way I’ve seen it, so I don’t know how it was playing the other years.

“They have told me it was running much more on the greens a bit firmer. Just a matter of putting it in place and then attacking from there.”

•Follow live scoring in the second round by clicking here.

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Adri Arnaus has won on the Alps Tour in Italy. Can he win his first European Tour title at Golf Club Adamstal, which hosts this week’s Euram Bank Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

SPANIARD Adri Arnaus returns to his Alps Tour roots this week as he prepares for the Euram Bank Open.

It will be his first appearance at the picturesque Golf Club Adamstal in the Austrian Alps.

Arnaus burst on to the professional golf scene in 2017. He won two events on the Alps Tour as an amateur, including the Grand Final at Golf Club des Iles Borromees, in the Italian Alps.

He also topped the Order of Merit that year to earn his place on the European Challenge Tour.

The following season he graduated to the European Tour after finishing inside the Top 15 on the Challenge Tour Rankings – winning the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final, in the United Arab Emirates.

Adri Arnaus said: “I definitely missed out on playing a beautiful golf course a couple of years ago.

“I love any course which is different to what we are used to – being here in the mountains with the tree lines is very special.

“It’s one of the coolest places I’ve been to so far this year,” said the Texas A&M University graduate.

“It’s so different. You can breathe in the nature everywhere you turn. I’m going to remember a lot of holes on this golf course.

“I’ve tried to make a schedule which looks good for the rest of the year,” added the 2017 Spanish Amateur Champion.

“It’s great we can get back to competition and hopefully play for titles on Sundays.

“Last year I wanted to get to the DP World Tour Championship, and hopefully I can get a bit higher up on the rankings this year.

“I had a good year last year and started pretty well this season, so I had some momentum,” added Arnaus, talking about the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We had to reschedule everything and find new things to do,” said the 25-year-old who is now looking for his maiden European Tour win.

“Golf is a game where you don’t have to be on the range all the time, you can improve other aspects of your game.

“I’ve been focusing on the physical and mental aspects. Then when we were allowed to play golf in Spain again, I did that and got back in shape.”

And if that preparation will pays dividends if he can follow last week’s winner Marc Warren by winning in Austria, which hosts an event for a second week in a row.

Golf Club Adamstal – situated in the Austrian Alps – will again stage the Euram Bank Open. The Challenge Tour tournament has been upgraded to dual-ranking European Tour event

Ewen hoping it’s Fergie time in Alps

GOLF Club Adamstal is situated in a valley in the Lower Austrian Alps.

And after hosting the Euram Bank Open on the Challenge Tour since 2018, it is now the venue for the second of two dual-ranking events.

Arnaus is pleased to have made the trip to Ramsau as the 2020 season continues, after missing out on the tournament two years ago.

Also in the field this week is Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson, who will be hoping to go one better than his runner-up finish at last year’s Euram Bank Open.

The 24-year-old carded an eight-under par 64, making a charge from 13^th place at the start of the final day.

He finished as runner-up to compatriot Calum Hill alongside Portugal’s José-Filipe Lima.

Ferguson said: “There are a lot of good players right now in Scotland. Loads of good guys coming through.

“I think Marc Warren was very motivated by not doing well last year and getting on top of his game. There are loads of young Scots coming through.

“I think it’s a kick up the backside for the older guys and they’re pushing on.

“You look at leaderboards now and there seems to be a lot of Scots kicking around.

“It’s good for us, even having lunch you can chat to friends you’ve known for years. It makes it homely rather than it being hard on the road.

“You know you can bat ideas off each other and inspire each other. I played well here last year.

“I finished second and had a good run at it in the end. It was a good week for me. It’s been nice practicing here again.

“I know some of the places to go and places not to go, that could be quite helpful. I’m excited to get going.

Schneider hopes Austrian form continues

HOPING to carry on his form from last week’s Austrian Open is Germany’s Marcel Schneider.

The 30-year-old carded four consecutive rounds of 69 – dropping just four shots all week – to finish one stroke behind winner Marc Warren.

Schneider said: “I’m so happy to be back out and competing. My game was super solid.

“You could see from the scores, three-under four times and I just dropped four shots the whole week. Hopefully I can continue that.

“Something clicked there. Putting has never been the strength of my game. But it worked quite well last week.

“Hopefully I can ride that wave for a long time. I love the course, beside the walking, I really love the views from the fairways and the greens.

“You need a lot of tactics in your game,” added Schneider who won the 2018 Swiss Challenge

The Euram Bank Open will be governed by the European Tour’s comprehensive Health Strategy, as will all events for the remainder of the 2020 season.

The strategy relies on healthcare specialists Cignpost to deliver rapid on-site COVID-19 screening.

All players, caddies and on-site personnel will be tested in order to help mitigate the risk of new COVID-19 infections.

Participants will operate within national public health guidelines, including social distancing as well as following enhanced hygiene directives.

•To follow Adri Arnaus in the first round click here for live scoring.

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Lucas Herbert won a play-off against South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout to secure his first European Tour event at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

LUCAS Herbert won his maiden European Tour title with a play-off victory over Christiaan Bezuidenhout on a dramatic final day at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

The duo entered the final day six shots off the lead but with strong winds and showers at Emirates Golf Club, the leaderboard was blown wide open.

Lucas Herbert, who survived a trip to the water 18 before winning at the second extra hole, said: “The last ten minutes feel like I’ve been dreaming.

“It’s so weird. It’s awesome. It’s just the best thing ever. It is so good. We’ve got a bottle of Scotch at home to celebrate, so I can’t wait to get into that with the boys.

“Last week, I was probably like 20th going into the weekend, and probably like for the 10th time in the last 12 months seemed to just back it out and finish at the back of the field.

“We got really frustrated, so put in some really good tactics this week with my mental coach, Jamie Glazier, trying to be positive and a lot of positive stuff.

“It’s so cliché but it works so much. I felt so confident out there and just felt like good golf was going to come.

“I spoke to him just before the play-off, and we talked about the fact that I hit some really poor shots out there today.

“Obviously the second shot on the first play-off hole, probably not one of my best, but you know, you go back and watch any sort of winners, final nine holes, final round, play-off holes, it’s never a perfect scenario.

“Everyone always hits bad shots, and everyone will probably forget about that now that I’ve just gotten that up-and-down and won a tournament.”

Plenty of people have admired Herbert’s talents, so a maiden win was always likely to be a question of when, not if.

So for it to happen after a tumultus few months for his native Australia, and on Australia day itself, proved to be bitter sweet for the 24-year-old from Victoria, who is now exempt on the European Tour until the end of the 2022 season.

Lucas Herbert said: “I know everyone back home is going to be still up, and obviously there’s some pretty awful stuff happening right now in Australia with the fires.”

And it meant yet another young Aussie has joined the winners’ circle after Cameron Smith claimed the Sony Open in Hawaii, on the PGA Tour, two weeks ago.

Herbert added: “Cam Smith sort of said it a couple weeks ago when he won, and I’d like to say the same thing.

“Everyone around the world is behind us and hopefully we can keep fighting harder than what I did on the first play-off hole.

“That’s nothing compared to the firefighters and volunteers putting out the fires. Sending all my love back home and hope everyone is well, and thanks for the support.”

Bezuidenhout and Herbert both fired brilliant rounds of 68 to get to nine-under par, with the South African finding water after laying up on the last.

The winner of last year’s Andalucia Masters – at Spain’s equally tough Valderrama – made a clutch putt for bogey, while Herbert birdied the 17th and 18th to get into the play-off, having taken on the water at the daunting last to make his birdie four.

This time it was the Australian who found the water with his second on the first play-off hole before saving par thanks to a stunning shot from the drop zone to take it back to the tee.

His second shot next time around could not have been more different, as he got within 20 feet and a two-putt birdie handed him the title, and second position in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

LUCAS HERBERT LEADS AUSTRALIAN PGA AFTER FIRST ROUND

Bezuidenhout has overcome his own battles – having been banned for taking a banned substance as an amateur prescribed to help him overcome a serious stammer and nervousness problem.

He was putting a positive face on the disappointment of his first play-off defeat.

“I was hitting something great putts. Made great saves coming in,” said Bezuidenhout.

“Made a great up-and-down on 14 and 15 to keep myself going. I just think we played in the tougher conditions.

“Those last five holes played quite brutal. Happy to finish off the way I did and make the save.

Reflecting on the trip to the water in regulation, he added: “I laid it up to my perfect yardage, 78 to the flag.

“The first shot just came out a little bit right – didn’t fly the yardage, just spun back.

“If it landed on the green, it was quite firm, and it landed just in the fringe and spun back into the water. With the spin, it was always going to be in the water.

“Me and my coach Grant have been doing work which I believe in.

“I believe we’re doing the right things and we’re working towards the right stuff, and nice to see all the hard work’s paying off, and paying off on the course, especially in big tournaments like this.”

Spaniard Adri Arnaus, South African Dean Burmerster and Hertfordshire’s Tom Lewis finished at seven-under – a shot clear of American Kurt Kitayama and China’s Wu Ashun.

•To see the final results click here.

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Halfway joint leader Rafa Cabrera-Bello has gone bogey free for 36 holes around Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

RAFA Cabrera-Bello and Adri Arnaus lead a Spanish quartet at the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the Open de España, delighting the home crowds at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.

The pair carded rounds of 65 and 66 respectively, sharing the lead on 11-under par, with Cabrera-Bello going bogey-free for the second consecutive day.

Cabrera-Bello, who came close to winning the Spanish Open as an amateur when it was held in his native Canary Islands back in 2002, said: “You don’t get to go bogey free very often, and two days in a row.

“I’m not sure how many times I’ve done that. I’m very pleased with how I’m playing, I’m feeling confident out there and in control of my game. Lots of good shots and when I get into trouble, I’ve been saving par, it’s great.

“Yesterday was a dream day, and today we had it again – I think we’re minus-31 for the three of us, which is remarkable.

“We’re feeding off each other and off the crowd. Bouncing off each other, it’s amazing,” added Cabrera-Bello, who is coached by David Leadbetter, and made his Ryder Cup debut in Europe’s defeat by the USA at Hazeltine, in 2016.

The Canary Islander is hunting his first victory since the 2017 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, while Arnaus is hoping to go one better than his three runner-up finishes so far in his rookie European Tour season.

Rookie Adri Arnaus is sharing the lead in the Spanish Open, looking to improve on his three runners-up finishes in 2019. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Arnaus, who has finished second in Kenya, the Czech Republic already this season, said: “I’m really proud of how I’ve played these first two rounds.

“I’ve enjoyed it so much with the support of the crowds from home and also playing with Rahm and Rafa, it has been two fantastic days.

“You’re always a little bit nervous but at the end it’s just going out there and playing your best golf, and hopefully we can have some good rounds – and on Sunday we’ll see how it turns out,” added Arnaus, who would love to go one better than his last appearance in Spain, when he finished secodn in the Andalucia Masters at Valderamma, at the end of June.

Cabrera-Bello and Arnaus are one stroke ahead of journeyman Samuel Del Val who, in a bid to earn playing rights around the world, has spent the last four months on the road.

Del Val said: “It was a great round. I felt like I controlled both rounds really well, didn’t make many mistakes, only two bogeys.

“I had the putter going both days, made a couple of good ones and I’m in a good position going into the weekend.

“This is my 20^th week of the last 23. I’ve been away from home for four months. I live in the States in Atlanta,” said the 32-year-old.

“I’ve been playing PGA Tour China, had some invites on the Challenge Tour too,” added De Val, who is ranked 1,413 in the world.

“After losing my card on the Web.com Tour last year, I decided to try and have both ways to get back to where I think I should be playing.”

In fourth place is defending champion Jon Rahm, who recovered from a double bogey on the second hole to card a four-under 67.

The three-time Rolex Series winner sits two strokes behind Cabrera-Bello and Arnaus.

Rahm said: “I was lucky to only be two over through two, I saved a heck of a par on that first hole.

“It was a little shaky, but things like that happen. I was battling bad swings two days ago, yesterday was great, today I was trying to find the same feeling but I figured it out after that double bogey.

“My body is feeling good and I’m hoping to start well tomorrow, give an early scare to these guys and get the lead,” added the former World Amateur No. 1, who played his college golf in the States at Arizona State – the same university as Phil Mickleson and Paul Casey.

“I keep forgetting (I’m defending champion). I’m so focused on what I have to do, I’m focused on beating Adri and Rafa.

“One more day tomorrow to get in position. Hopefully I can play a little bit better, get off to a good start and keep it going for 18 holes,” said Rahm.

Rahm birdied the 18^th in front of thousands who came out in force to see the trio, who were grouped together for the first two rounds. The group are a combined 31-under heading into the weekend.

South African Zander Lombard is fifth on eight-under, one ahead of Finland’s Mikko Korhonen, Australias Jason Scrivener and Germany’s Marcel Siem.

•For live scoring in the third round of the Spanish Open, click here.

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Rookie Adri Arnaus led a group of five Spaniards at the top end of the leaderboard in the Spanish Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

ADRI Arnaus leads the home charge at the Mutuactivos Open de España, but sits two strokes behind Norway’s Kristian Krogh-Johannessen, who carded an eight under par 63 to lead at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.

Johannessen, who started the day on the 10th tee, made the turn in four-under after three birdies and an eagle, dropping his only shot of the day at the par four 16^th hole.

The Norwegian, who seems to have been inspired by fellow countryman Viktor Hovland’s start to his PGA Tour career in the States, made four more gains on the front nine.

That included a birdie at the ninth as he posted eight-under, which was not beaten by the afternoon starters.

Krogh-Johannessen: “I’m out there having fun and playing smart. It’s a tricky course, but I’ve got a friend on the bag this week and we’re having fun out there.

“It was a good round. I didn’t hit it perfectly, but hit it in the right spots, even when I missed and I holed some good putts.

The 24-year-old, who turned pro in 2015, added: “I just need to keep calm, play my own game and not get stressed out there.

“It’s a bit tricky, so if you get stressed you start easily making mistakes. I just need to keep cool and play my own game.”

Arnaus is one of five home hopefuls inside the top 10 in the Spanish capital, carding a six-under 65 to take solo second.

He made the turn in six-under after four birdies and an eagle on his front nine, and finished his round with a birdie on the ninth to cancel out a bogey on the fourth.

Arnaus said: “It was such a fun round out there with the crowds following. I was really happy with how I played out there, especially the front nine – that was a lot of fun. I was happy to finish with a birdie on the ninth.

“I was six under through nine and finished birdie-birdie-birdie on my last holes on my front nine.

“That was amazing. I kept it going, but some of my putts on my back nine didn’t want to drop, but it finally dropped on the last, so I was really happy.”

The 24-year-old, who graduated from the European Challenge Tour last season, is making just his second appearance in his national Open.

Arnaus has enjoyed a fine rookie year on the European Tour, with three runner-up finishes in 2019 as he seeks his maiden victory – winning his natioanal Open in Madrid would cap a dream start to the rookie’s career.

Defending champion and World No. 5 Jon Rahm shares third place with compatriot Rafa Cabrera-Bello and four other golfers on five-under.

Rahm, who knew last year’s host course extremely well from his high school days, said: “It’s a tough golf course, you need to drive it well – and I did.

“The greens were perfect, they are the best greens I’ve putted on in Spain in my career as an amateur and as a pro.

“Me, Rafa and Adri played really well, especially on that front nine Adri got it going really well and me and Rafa were trying to catch up.

“My biggest challenge early on, and the reason I missed so many putts, is because I was trying to get the pace of the greens. They were so fast.

“I was getting used to the speed and the changes from last week to this week. Yesterday I did struggle with ball-striking, but I fixed it and stayed committed to the changes I made.”

“We all got it going and once we made the turn, everyone was there. Every time you’re hitting shots, even if you’re missing, you’re getting a lot of words of encouragement.”

Cabrera-Bello was also pleased with his start, saying: “I’m very pleased. It was a bogey free round, but it didn’t feel like it.

“There were a few occasions where I got into trouble and managed to save myself. I controlled my game the entire day, gave myself some chances and putted well. It was a good day and I knew I could post a good score.”

A further shot back is Spanish pair Samuel Del Val and Adrian Otaegui, who carded four-under 67s, sharing ninth with seven others.

•For live scores in round two click here.

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Spanish Open winner Jon Rahm wants to break Seve Ballesteros’ record as the youngest player to win five times on the European Tour. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JON Rahm feels calm ahead of his Mutuactivos Open de España title defence, believing the burden of pressure is no longer there after winning his national Open at the first attempt last year.

The 24-year-old arrives at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid in strong form, having recorded seven top-ten finishes in his last 10 events, including a runner-up result at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth just two weeks ago.

After securing his fourth European Tour title at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in July, his third Rolex Series victory, the World No. 5 now has his sights set on reaching the milestone of five victories faster than the late, great Seve Ballesteros.

Rahm said: “I hope I can get to five before Seve did. I would love to do that. Those records are always nice. That’s something I have in mind when I’m playing.

“There are some weeks when I really want to win – I’d love to be a multiple winner of the Open de España and I’d love this to be the first time I successfully defend a title. So, I hope that happens.

“There won’t be more pressure than last year. It was the first time I had played the event – I was fourth in the world and I had just played well at Augusta.

“It was a golf course I played in high school. This time I don’t know the golf course.

“I am defending champion and the highest-ranked player, but the fact it’s a golf course I’ve not played much is a big difference. Hopefully I can just focus on playing good golf and be in the mix on Sunday.

“I wish I would have been able to enjoy last year’s win a little more. When I went down 18, I didn’t know Nacho Elvira had hit it in the water and made a double.

“I wished I’d have known that because that would have made a big difference with how I approached it.

“There was a chance of him holing out with his second shot – but I would have enjoyed it a little more. It was still a great week.

“Walking down to that green was a great feeling – 50,000 fans showed up to an event that was planned and advertised late.

“I was really proud of my country and proud of myself to be able to come and win. It’s a huge honour to represent Spain and Spanish golf.

“We all try and follow Seve’s steps and to win that event was unique and very special.”

Ballesteros won his fifth title at the 1978 Martini International in what was his 49th start, while Rahm is making his 39^th European Tour appearance this week.

Rahm is one of 32 Spanish golfers teeing it up on home soil this week, including Ryder Cup stalwarts Sergio Garcio, Miguel Angel Jiménez and José María Olazábal.

He will begin the tournament in the company of three-time European Tour winner and 2016 Ryder Cup player Rafa Cabrera Bello and rising star Adri Arnaus, who is currently 34^th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in his rookie season after graduating from the European Challenge Tour last year.

Arnaus, who has two runner-up finishes in his first season on the European Tour, said: “Everyone is wishing all the Spanish players to have a great week, there’s a lot of people I know from growing up who I’m meeting here.

“It’s one where every Spaniard wants to win the trophy, so it makes it that more special.

“You always get butterflies when you’re on the first tee, especially at the thought of playing with Jon and Rafa in front of all of those people who will be following us.

“But I’m used to that now; hopefully I can go out there and enjoy the experience. I see it as a privilege,” added Arnaus, who finished second in the Andalucia Masters, hosted by Sergio Garcia, at Valderrama in June.

For live scoring follow the Spanish Open on the new-look European Tour website by clicking here.

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Guido Migliozzi who was crowned the first winner of the Magical Kenya Open at Karen Country Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

GUIDO Migliozzi held his nerve to claim a maiden European Tour title after carding a closing round of 69 to win the Magical Kenya Open.

The Italian, who became a European Tour member for the first time in November after progressing through Qualifying School, started the day in a tie for the lead with fellow rookie Adri Arnaus.

And the pair exchanged blows throughout an enthralling final day in Nairobi until Migliozzi closed out in style hitting the pin with his approach shot on the 18th in front a large crowd at Kenya’s inaugural European Tour event.

Migliozzi, who claimed three victories in 2017 and 2018 playing on the Alps Tour – where Hertfordshire’s Matt Wallace proved his winning pedigree with six wins in 2016 – was beaming after his win.

The former Italian Amateur Strokeplay and Matchplay champion, who was the first player to sign for One Direction’s Nial Horan’s Modest Golf management group, said: “I like the pressure, it’s like a drug. I love pressure, I love playing with a lot of people looking at me and a lot of cameras.

“Obviously I played with Adri Arnaus and we had a beautiful match together yesterday, it was like match play and today was a great battle.

“Yesterday I went to the left at the 18th with a two iron, today a four iron to be sure to not go left, and I had the perfect distance for an eight iron, it was really nice. Easy two putts to win.

“I enjoyed the last two days very much. The pressure was a lot and I’m happy about how I’m playing under pressure, also with my putting game that I worked a lot on.

“I would like to thank every part of my team,” added the 2016 Portuguese International Amateur Champion.

It was the 22-year-old who would prevail though delivering when it mattered most by hitting the pin with his approach to the 18^th to set up a two-putt par which saw him triumph by one shot.

Finishing one behind Migliozzi was Arnaus and South Africans Louis de Jager and Justin Harding.

Following his Qatar Masters victory last week, Harding was firmly in contention right down to the wire in the Kenyan capital, thanks to a five-under final round of 66.

Harding, who needs to break into the World top 50 to earn a debut in the Masters at Augusta, next month, said: “I think I’m probably still going to have to have a decent result come the Match Play but I’ve at least given myself a decent shot at Augusta.

“I thought I played quite nicely. Didn’t get everything out of the front nine, couple of bad chips on six and seven which were naughty, but gave myself a chance coming down the stretch.

“It was another good week, pretty pleased. I battled, probably from hole one, with club selection and the wind swirling around so to have come out and posted 15-under, I’m pleased.

“I had a good week last week and another one this week so I’m sitting quite nicely first season on the European Tour.”

Having gone back-to-back with wins on the Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour last year, many were thinking he could complete a remarkable treble after making an eagle on the 12th, but ultimately the bogey on 13 ended his dream of another win so soon.

Setting a new course record at Karen Country Club was Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who ended a nine-week stretch away from his native Scotland with a scintillating eight under par round of 63.

MacIntyre, who lost in the 2016 Amateur Championship final to Hampshire’s Scott Gregory, said: “I’m absolutely delighted. I didn’t really expect that after the way I’ve been playing but I just went out with complete freedom and managed to get it round in eight under.

“I just can’t wait to get home and see the family, the two foster kids Dan and Tom, it’s just so relaxing back in Oban, everything about it.

“It just wasn’t feeling natural and today I went out there and made myself feel free and it just worked.

“I’ve got the game to go and shoot these numbers as I showed, it’s just playing with freedom and that’s what I did. That’s the way I’ve got to try and get my mindset for the rest of the year.”

Hampshire rookie Jack Singh-Brar, who finished 12th to move up to 86th place on the Race to Dubai. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

Hampshire rookie Jack Singh Brar, who started Sunday with a chance of his maiden European win, but a two-over 73 saw him drop from sixth to 12th leaving the winner of last year’s Cordon Golf Open on the Challenge Tour with a cheque for €17,208, pushing him up to 86th place on the Race to Dubai.

Singh Brar, who played in the same Great Britian and Ireland Walker Cup team as former Hampshire junior team-mates Harry Ellis and Scott Gregory, also signed for Horan’s Modest Group after turning pro after the defeat against the USA at Los Angeles Country Club.

He was one of 15 players to earn a full tour card on the Challenge Tour in 2018.

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