William Nygard joins the list of Gecko Tour champions after winning in a thrilling outcome at Lauro Golf. The 20-year-old Swedish golfer defeated Englishman Sam Connor after a spectacular playoff. They played two playoff holes, the first was tied with a birdie and the second was won by the Nordic with another birdie. It was a movie ending, as he also birdied his 18th hole to force the playoff. In other words, three birdies to finish and be crowned champion.
Nygard, who turned pro in 2015, has just released his palmares with this magnificent victory in Lauro. It was his time. This is his second season on the Gecko Tour and there were more than a few times last year when he ended up leading the tournament after the first day and then ended up with honey on his lips. “I’ve never been as close as this time because I never even got to play the playoff, but I’m very happy. It’s my first win and it makes me very happy,” he said after the tournament.
Nygard has won in Lauro with a total score of 138 strokes in 36 holes, the same as Connor and one less than Andreas Andersson, Nygard’s compatriot who won the inaugural Gecko event held in La Cañada. In fourth place was Spain’s Daniel Serón and fifth alone was Finland’s Tuomas Sistonen.
Nygard confesses that his main virtue is putting and short iron shots to the green. Today he has proved it with flying colors. Precisely, the key stroke of the tournament came with the putter on the first hole of the playoff. “Sam had hit a very good shot and left it very close for birdie. I felt I had to putt it and it went in. I had about eight meters to the hole,” he explains. A full-fledged bomb that earned him his first victory.
Nygard already played the full Gecko last year and will repeat this year until the start of the Nordic League, a satellite circuit held in the Scandinavian countries that opens the doors to the Challenge Tour. He already played it last year with a balance of five past cuts in eleven tournaments. With performances like today’s he will arrive not only perfectly prepared, but as an optimal point of confidence.
After the rains suffered on the Costa del Sol, which forced the suspension of the tournaments in Alcaidesa last week, the sun has returned to make its way. Playing conditions in Lauro have been excellent. The same is expected for the next round of the Gecko, which will be played next Thursday and Friday at the Torrequebrada course.
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