DUBAI: Denmark’s Joachim Hansen has claimed his second victory on the European Tour at the Aviv Dubai Championship, carding a final round 68 on the Fire Course to sneak in one shot ahead of Francesco Laporta and a charging Bernd Wiesberger.
With the win, Hansen moves 42 places up the Race to Dubai rankings to 43rd, securing his spot in next week’s DP World Tour Championship alongside the top 50 in the rankings. The 31-year-old is only the second Dane to win in the United Arab Emirates and the first in 20 years after Thomas Bjorn won the 2001 Dubai Desert Classic.
Following the round, Hansen said: “It means a lot, especially with family and friends here this time. The first two rounds were some of the best of my life.
“I didn’t expect it at all. I just wanted to have a nice week with the family at a good tournament and the lovely weather down here, it turns out with a good nine-holes to start with. I stayed in contention all week and it’s nice to come out on top. I was emotional because my family is here and I wanted to win with them by my side — that’s special.”
On qualifying for next week, Hansen added: “It’s very nice going into next week. I played very nice in the last tournaments and have been close to playing really good, which I did this week. So, I’m just going to take next week as a bonus week and try to enjoy it.”
Hansen’s victory marks the fourth win for Danish golfers during the 2021 season, after Rasmus Hojgaard, Nicolai Hojgaard and Jeff Winther all won earlier in the year. Of this remarkable achievement, Hansen concluded: “Some season for Danish golf. I hope it inspires a lot of golfers back home.”
The Dane held off late charges from Wiesberger, who finished with eight birdies in his last 14 holes, and Andy Sullivan, who ended with a remarkable five birdies and an eagle on the final hole to shoot 29 on the back-nine and get within two shots. The Englishman’s remarkable finish means he claims one of the final spots on the Race to Dubai rankings to qualify for next week’s season-ending event.
The golfing world’s attention now turns to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, where the 50 highest ranked players on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex will take on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, competing for a share of the $9 million prize pot and the European Number One title.
The 13th edition of the curtain-closing tournament takes place next week from Nov. 18-21.