Jesper Svensson won his first DP World Tour title with a play-off victory over Kiradech Aphibarnrat at the Porsche Singapore Classic.
Related: Shubhankar makes a charge amid Micheluzzi’s 66 in Singapore
The Swede matched the course record with a closing 63 at Laguna National Golf Resort Club to get to 17 under but extra holes were required as Aphibarnrat eagled the last in a stunning finish to a round of 64.
View this post on Instagram
Both men made birdie on the first trip up the last and then exchanged a pair of pars before Aphibarnrat went over the back and made a bogey, leaving Svensson two putts for par and his maiden victory.
The 28-year-old made his breakthrough last year with his victory at the B-NL Challenge Trophy on the European Challenge Tour before securing playing privileges via the Road to Mallorca Rankings.
View this post on Instagram
He has already finished runner-up twice on the 2024 Race to Dubai – at the Investec South African Open Championship and the Bahrain Championship presented by Bapco Energies – and has now entered the winner’s circle on only his 14th appearance.
Svensson began the day five shots off the lead but got off to a blistering start, making birdies on the first and second and adding an eagle on the par five third. Further birdies arrived at the sixth and eighth, but he dropped a shot either side of the turn to remain in a congested pack.
However, he went on a stunning birdie-birdie-eagle run from the 12th to storm ahead and despite dropping a shot at the 15th, finished birdie-birdie to finalise a brilliant 63.
View this post on Instagram
Aphibarnrat’s second place is his best finish since the 2021 BMW PGA Championship, with rookie Sam Bairstow securing his best finish to date in third on 16 under. Countryman Andy Sullivan finished fourth on 15 under, with France’s Matthieu Pavon fifth on 14 under.
View this post on Instagram
Victory means Svensson goes immediately to the top of the Asian Swing Rankings after one event, and climbs eight places to third on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.
Player quotes
Jesper Svensson: It’s been a lot of good golf, so it’s nice to finally come out on top, it’s very hard to win. Yeah, it was really nice.
It’s been a long journey. With the win here in my first season out here, I can’t have dreamt of it. It’s always been a dream to be a winner on the DP World Tour and it feels amazing.
I think combined with the Challenge Tour last year and the beginning of this season, I’ve had five second places for the last year, so I really wanted to come out on top here and it felt great to finally achieve it here.
It was a couple times today. I told Lucky, my caddy, at 14, we were thinking of laying up and we both said ‘nah we’re not finishing second again this year’ — and it was the best shot of the week, so it was nice.
