Penge

Marco Penge held his nerve in a play-off to defeat fellow Englishman Daniel Brown and take the Spanish Open title in Madrid.

Penge held a four-shot lead over nearest challenger Joel Girrbach going into the final round, while he was five shots better off than Brown.

However, he only had a one-shot advantage going to the 18th on Sunday after his lead was trimmed.

After Penge made par to finish with a one-over 72 for his final round at the Club de Campo, Brown sank a birdie putt for a 67 which forced a play-off as both finished on 15 under.

At the first time of asking in the sudden-death play-off, Penge birdied the 18th with an eight-foot putt to secure a third European Tour title of the season.

Penge’s victory in Spain also means he has automatically qualified for the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale next year.

“It was a strange day for me,” said Penge, who carded 66, 67 and 64 in his first three rounds.

“I had it in my head that the golfing gods were kind of against me in a way. Dan and Joel played great, they were holing putts and putting the pressure on me.

“I just couldn’t get it in the hole. It felt like I was really up against it, but I felt like I managed myself really well.”

Penge was given a three-month ban in December 2024 for placing bets on multiple events, with one month suspended for a year.

He has resumed his career in fine fashion and said: “I think tee to green I played solid and it was just a matter of the putts – I think I used them all yesterday, but holing that one [on the play-off hole] was worth the wait.”

Switzerland’s Girrbach finished with a 69 as he ended up in third place on 14 under.

Three-time champion Jon Rahm carded a closing 65, which included seven birdies and a bogey, as the Spaniard finished tied for ninth at his home Open.

England’s Marco Penge claimed his maiden DP World Tour title – just two months after returning from a betting ban.

The 26-year-old was given a three-month ban in December for placing bets on multiple events, with one month suspended for a year.

Since returning to action, Penge had finished third at the South African Open in March, and followed that up by securing a three-shot victory at the Hainan Classic in China on Sunday.

Penge, who joined the European-based tour last year, started the day in a share of the lead with China’s Xiao Bowen and was one shot behind Sean Crocker as he began the back nine.

But he hit three straight birdies from the 12th to go clear before finishing with a five-under 67 to seal the win on 17 under par.

American Crocker finished in a tie for second with Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan on 14 under, with Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen a shot further back.

“This means the world to me,” said Penge. “It’s something that I’ve always dreamt of achieving – winning on the biggest stage.

“After my time off it was the thing that I wanted to really prove to myself and prove to everyone, to show what a player I am.

“My caddie, through that time, has been my rock. And my wife and my whole team – I wouldn’t be where I am without them.”

Victory saw Penge finish third on the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing standings so he also earned a spot at the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

Japan’s Keita Nakajima, who finished in a tie for 11th on Sunday, was top of the standings ahead of Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, so both will also be heading to the year’s second major next month.