WIRRAL golfer Sandeep Grewal snatched a place in the end of season Tour Championship with a dramatic victory in the final qualifying event on the EuroPro Tour.
The 27-year-old went into the final round of the PartyPoker.com International Open 10 shots off the lead.
But Grewal produced a stunning round of 67 to force a play-off with Lloyd Saltman at Fairmont St Andrews – and then beat the Scotsman on the second play-off hole.
After the first two rounds Grewal (ISM) was one over par and looked out of the frame for victory, but he kicked off his final round with birdies on the first and third holes before turning on the style over the back nine.
An eagle on the ninth was followed by three straight birdies. A double bogey on the 14th checked his progress and could have spelled the end of his spectacular victory charge, but the Birkenhead-born player was in the clubhouse at four under after shooting the only sub par round of the day as the Scottish course was buffetted by incredibly high winds.
“It was just one of those days for me,” said Grewal. “On the first I pulled my tee shot, got it back on track then holed a seven iron from 120 yards, and on the ninth I drove well and pitched in another seven iron for an eagle.”
The Heswall player began the day in 73rd spot on the Order of Merit before the tournament began and knew the pressure was on to climb that list in order to get into the Tour Championship, with only the top 60 qualifying.
“My aim was for top 60 and even after the eagle and the three birdies I was just thinking ‘just stay solid and I could get a top five place,’ added the Wirral man.
“I was playing well and just focusing on that rather than thinking that conditions were tough and that I might be in contention with the rest of the guys still having plenty of holes to play.
“Even after my double bogey, when I saw that I was just one behind, I didn’t get over-excited as I was just in the zone and forgot about everything else.”
Saltman (Aegon) recorded a final round 75 to join Grewal in a play-off, and the Merseysider got the better of the Scotsman on the second trip down 18 – a reward for his hard work pre-season.
“On the first hole I sunk an eight-footer to keep the thing going and then I had a 15-footer first and holed it for par and Lloyd had a 10-footer and lipped out,” said Grewal, who had earned just £1,331 before collecting the £10,000 winner’s cheque.
“I just approached it as matchplay and went for it, and I got that bit of luck. But I think my round deserved it
“Last year was terrible for me but I put in a lot of work over the winter and I’ve been playing very nicely, even though my scores this year don’t reflect it,” added Grewal, who had to come through the pre-season qualifying school to regain his place on the tour, which he then won.
Grewal’s victory catapulted him into 11th on the Order of Merit, two places ahead of Royal Liverpool’s Ian Keenan.
Formby’s Mark Ramsdale also qualified for the Tour Championship in 22nd place, High Legh’s Ian Ridgway was 38th and Caldy’s Steven Capper 46th.
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