Callum Shinkwin wins Cyprus Open to claim maiden European Tour victory

Callum Shinkwin beat Kalle Samooja in a play-off to win the Cyrpus Open.

Jack Seddon's picture
Mon, 2 Nov 2020
Callum Shinkwin wins Cyprus Open to claim maiden European Tour victory

Callum Shinkwin claimed his maiden European Tour title in dramatic style after he beat Kalle Samooja in a play-off at Aphrodite Hills to win the Cyprus Open.

After his tee shot found the rough down the par-5 last, Shinkwin managed to get on the green in two and then roll in a 54-foot putt for eagle to finish the tournament 20-under par. Watch the incredible putt in the video below:

Finland's Samooja needed an eagle of his own at the last hole to win the tournament in regulation, but he two-putted for a birdie to take the tournament to a play-off, where Shinkwin made birdie to take home the trophy.

Overnight co-leader Jamie Donaldson finished in a tie for third alongside Scot Robert MacIntyre and South African Garrick Hugo, who all shot 18-under par, two shots off the lead, while Sami Valimaki finished one-stroke further back in a tie for sixth with Jason Scrivener and Dale Whitnell.

Shinkwin started the final round two shots behind the lead and made birdies at both of the par-5's on the front nine to reach the turn 2-under. 

The Englishman was two-shots behind Samooja with two holes to play, when a birdie at the par-3 17th and an incredible eagle at the last suddenly put Shinkwin in the lead.

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Samooja couldn't match Shinkwin's eagle to win the tournament, but he tapped in his birdie putt to extend the Cyprus Open to a play-off.

The players went back down the 18th hole, where Shinkwin got up-and-down from the bunker for a birdie and Samooja missed a five-footer for a birdie of his own, handing a maiden victory to Shinkwin.

"It's something I've always wanted to do and now I have," Shinkwin said about his first European Tour win. "It's been a bit of a shock but it feels great."

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