Worldwide Golf

SIMON Khan got the nod on the Monday that he had a place in the field at The BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and drove off six days later with the biggest win of his career to date. The 37-year-old from Essex was a last minute sponsor’s invite and made the most of it with a stunning performance on the new-look West Course, shooting a final round 5-under 66 to win by one shot from Luke Donald and Fredrik Andersson Hed.

“I was determined to make the most of the invite and play like I know I can,” said Khan, who started the final round seven shots off the lead on 1-under. “Today was surreal. The course was tough with the condition it was in and the pin positions but I didn’t know the position I was in until around the 16^th. It’s an amazing event, it’s inspired me for years.”

Khan set the clubhouse target of 6-under-par after sinking a birdie putt on the 18^th that ran around the hole before finally dropping, leaving him pumping the air in delight.

From there all eyes were on Donald. The Englishman, who hasn’t won a title in four years, was on 6-under with two holes to play but disaster struck. Donald blocked his drive on the 17^th into a holly bush and wound up making a double bogey seven leaving him needing an eagle on the revamped 18^th to match Khan’s total. It was just what course re-designer Ernie Els wanted. The new stream running across the 18^th green was added to plant doubt in the player’s mind – an increase in the ‘risk and reward’ factor. For Donald the risk was too great and he laid up which left him with a 100-yard shot for eagle. To his credit he almost holed it but the ball checked at the crucial moment and spun back, ending six feet away from the hole and leaving Khan delighted – a world away from the feeling he had after losing his European Tour card last year.

“This has got to be the best year for me to win this tournament,” he smiled. “To lose your card, and to realise at that moment that it’s gone; that was the worst I’ve ever felt. Now this – it’s unbelievable to be standing here right now. This means everything. This tournament is the reason I started playing golf and just being here is special.”

Last year Khan finished 127^th on The Race to Dubai and on his way back from the Hong Kong Open the realisation hit him, but showing strong strength of mind he decided to look at the positives and put all his focus on going back to Qualifying School. It worked as Khan earned his card for 2010 in style, winning the six-round Final Stage in Spain last November. Now, after winning The European Tour’s flagship event, Khan moved up from 471^st on the Official World Golf Rankings to 106^th and earned a five-year exemption on Tour and a spot in the next three Open Championships.