Levy wins maiden title in China
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, April 28, 2014
Alexander Levy of France held on to win his maiden European Tour title at the China Open yesterday, recovering from a late double bogey to shoot a 69 and beat Tommy Fleetwood by four strokes.
The 23-year-old Levy, playing in his second year on tour, vaulted into the lead with a career-best 10-under 62 in the second round, then held off a late challenge from Fleetwood in the final round to take home his first trophy. He carded a 19-under 269 overall.
Fleetwood, who was trying for his second European Tour title, pulled within one stroke after a birdie the 17th hole, but Levy closed with back-to-back birdies to seal the win.
Fleetwood was second at 15 under and Alvaro Quiros of Spain was third, another two strokes back.
Levy, playing in the group after Fleetwood, looked to be headed for a runaway victory, with a birdie on the 13th from eight feet to extend his lead to five shots.
But then the Frenchman ran into trouble on the par-4 15th. After hitting his approach shot well past the green, he putted from the fringe and sent the ball past the hole off the other side of the green. He chipped back to the green and two-putted for a double bogey, allowing Fleetwood back within two strokes.
"My ball was in the divot, it was a difficult shot with a difficult pin position," he said. "I make double bogey, but I still know I’m playing well."
Fleetwood then tightened the pressure further with a birdie on the 17th to pull another shot back. Levy responded with a flawless approach shot over a lake on the same hole to set up a 3-foot birdie putt, and another 3-footer for birdie on the 18th.
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