SERGIO GARCIA ENJOYED yet more success in Spain on Sunday, holding off Joost Luiten to retain his Andalucia Valderrama Masters title six years on from the last staging of the event.
A round of 67 on Sunday secured victory for tournament host Garcia, who was awarded honorary life membership of the European Tour this week and has now won half a dozen events in his home country.
Luiten carded six birdies in a 66, but a three-putt on the 16th ultimately proved costly for the Dutchman after he had reeled in Garcia to set up a dramatic finale.
Both men duly birdied the 17th and a par at the last was enough for Garcia to triumph with a 12-under total, as his rival lipped out with a birdie putt from around 25 feet.
Daniel Brooks, one off the pace overnight, finished a distant third at seven under following a level-par 71.
Garcia’s win sees him narrow the gap on Race to Dubai leader Tommy Fleetwood, with four lucrative events remaining this season.
The Masters champion looked set to canter home after opening up a three-shot lead with birdies at the ninth, 10th and 11th.
However, a bogey followed for Garcia at the next and Luiten picked up shots at the 13th and 15th to claim a share of the lead.
It was Luiten who faltered on 16, though, and Garcia took advantage to claim his third victory of the year.
“I felt like maybe I could get away and he [Luiten] just kept coming back and back,” the champion told Sky Sports.
“I stayed patient the whole time, made sure the bad moments didn’t affect me too much and made a couple of key putts coming in.”
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