Rafael Cabrera Bello will head to The Open Championship with his first win in five years, after fending off Callum Shinkwin in a playoff on the Dundonald Links on Sunday, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
Both began the day outside of the favourites to claim the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open title, with experienced campaigners Ian Poulter and Andrew Dodt more fancied than the 24-year-old Englishman, who shared the overnight lead and the Spaniard, ranked 31 in the world.
Bookies’ favourite meant nothing as Shinkwin birdied the seventh, eighth and ninth to get to -12 after 11 holes and with it a solid advantage over the field, which saw Poulter and Dodt fall out of contention. Cabrera Bello made his move with four birdies on the back nine to go with his four on the front nine to set Shinkwin the target of -13, after producing a scintillating 64 – the round of the tournament.
The young Englishman began the final round without a place in The Open at Royal Birkdale, but instead of trying to secure a place at the year’s third Major down the stretch, he was looking to hold on to his one shot advantage for his maiden win. And he did so in fine style for much of the afternoon as he eased his way from tee to green.
Birdies at 13 and 15 meant that the 405th best player in the world only needed a par at the last to edge Cabrera Bello to claim the fourth Rolex Series event. After 17 holes without stress or fuss, it all changed for Shinkwin on his 72nd hole as drama followed every shot after a perfect drive down the par 5. Going for the green in two, he instead short-sided himself next to the green as his ball came to rest in a divot, with a bunker to navigate between himself and the hole.
The crowd assembled around the 18th green, gasped as Shinkwin’s chip pitched short of the green and rolled back, only narrowly avoiding the bunker. The gasps were raised louder after his fourth – a putt from off the green – was left well short, leaving a testing putt from around six feet for the win. One last time the crowd shrieked as he left his putt short, sending him back down the 18th hole in a playoff with Cabrera Bello, looking for his first win since the 2012 Dubai Desert Classic.
Both found the fairway with just three yards separating the duo. Shinkwin played first and put his three wood from 255 yards into almost exactly the same place, much to the dismay of the spectators.
There would no repeat offence from Cabrera Bell0 as he striped his metal wood down the heart of the green towards the hole, setting up an eagle putt for the win. He would leave his putt agonisingly short, leaving Shinkwin a putt to prolong the playoff, but he replicated his par attempt in regulation play, leaving it short to allow Cabrera Bello to follow Jon Rahm as a Rolex Series winner.
The win moves the Spaniard to fourth on the Race to Dubai standings and a dark horse to win next week.
Earlier, Branden Grace – a playoff loser in 2013 – finished with four birdies in his final six holes to shoot a closing 68 and finish in a share of 15th place. Grace will be pleased with his Sunday finish as he heads to Royal Birkdale with some much-needed momentum as he looks to bring the Claret Jug back to South Africa. Compatriot Richard Sterne shot 70 to finish one behind Grace, but still inside the top 20. The remaining South African in the field, Thomas Aiken, shot 69 to finish in T32.
Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
