MONZA (ITALY) - Sweden's Rikard Karlberg won his first European Tour event on Sunday as he defeated Germany's Martin Kaymer in a play-off to lift the Italian Open title at Monza.
Sweden's Rikard Karlberg, pictured on July 14, 2015, won his first European Tour event as he defeated Germany's Martin Kaymer in a play-off to lift the Italian Open title at Monza
The 28-year-old from Gothenburg drained a 15ft birdie putt at the second play-off hole after a brilliant approach shot from the left rough set up the winning opportunity.
Kaymer was also well positioned but left his 20-footer short of the cup and failed in his bid for a first victory since winning the 2014 US Open.
Both players had finished 72 holes on 19-under at the par-72 Golf Club Milano on a clear sunny day in Milan.
"It's crazy, I told my caddy on the last five holes that we probably needed five birdies to have a chance and two was enough to get in a play-off and get my first win and to do it against (Martin) Kaymer, it feels unbelievable," said Karlberg.
"I just tried to hit the fairway which I wasn't even close to doing and just seeing him splitting the fairway felt, 'okay, I'm not going to win on his mistake, I need to do a birdie.
"I had a perfect yardage on the last shot there and a good lie, thankfully. It was a little bit lucky but I hit it great. It felt nice."
Seven players tied for third place including Swedes Joakim Lagergren and Jens Fahrbring, English pair Matthew Fitzpatrick and Danny Willett, Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti, Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark and American David Lipsky.
Kaymer had earlier carved out a two-stroke lead, thanks to four birdies down the front nine but three bogeys at 10, 13 and 14 opened the door for Karlberg who pulled level thanks to birdies at 16 and 17.
The Swede, who has two wins on the Asian Tour, missed the fairway at both play-off holes but scrambled a par at the first and then won the tournament with a cool-headed putt on the second time round at the 18th hole.
It would have been the 12th EPGA victory for the 30-year-old Kaymer from Dusseldorf, who won his first major at the 2010 PGA Championship.
Frenchman Romain Wattel, who shared the overnight lead, bogeyed the 17th and finished alone in 10th and two shots back, while amateur Lorenzo Scalise was the highest placed Italian after a brilliant final round six-under par 66 left him in a tie for 11th.