Horsey triumphant in play-off having been buoyed by hole-in-one

The Englishman’s second European Tour title came after a drama-packed final hole led to the trio going into the play-off.

Defending champion Davies and England’s Horsey were locked together throughout the final day.

With one to play, Horsey – who had a hole-in-one at the second – was one ahead of Davies and two clear of South Africa’s Van Zyl, but he took five from the middle of the fairway and six in total.

His double bogey left Davies a four-foot putt for the win, but the Welshman ran the effort two feet past the hole.

That allowed South African Van Zyl into a play-off with his par as he chased what would have been a maiden European Tour title.

However, Horsey emerged strongest on the second hole of the play-off – clinching the win with a birdie – to follow up his victory at last year’s BMW Open and move into the world’s top 80.

Asked how he felt after taking the win, Horsey said: “Relieved more than anything. I made hard work of that coming down the last.

“I couldn’t believe Rhys missed that putt to win to be honest. If we had been playing matchplay I would have given him that putt because he is one of the best putters in the world.

“So I was surprised to be in the play-off and then to win is a great feeling that hasn’t quite sunk in yet but I am sure it will in the next day or two.”

Reflecting on his hole-in-one at the second, he added: “It is not very often that you get off to a start like that on the last day of a tournament – especially when you are in a position to win.

“Obviously there is a certain amount of luck involved in a hole-in-one but it really set me up for the rest of the day.”

Davies, meanwhile, was left to reflect on what might have been following his costly miss that led to the play-off.

“I played well all week and did a lot of things well but I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole at the end,” he said.

“I don’t really know what to say about that to be honest. It is just one of those things that happen in golf.

“It’s tough and the line is so fine that it comes down to things like that sometimes. It is going to be a hard one for me to take but I will pick myself up and be back – I know I am playing well and doing the right things, this one just got away from me.”

Masters champion Phil Mickelson will head back to Augusta as the man to beat after sealing a superb victory at the Shell Houston Open. He finished the event in style with a closing 65, which included a streak of five birdies from the ninth, to finish three clear of fellow Americans Chris Kirk (67) and Scott Verplank (68).

Zuzana Kamasova claimed victory at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco after a final-round 76 saw her to a two-shot victory.

Tied second were French amateur Alexandra Bonetti (66), Germany’s Caroline Masson (71) and Leeds’s Kiran Matharu (74).