Peter Baker received the perfect 40th birthday present when he defeated fellow Englishman Ross McGowan at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off to win the Open A.G.F Allianz Côtes D’Armor Bretagne and secure a return to The European Tour.
Baker, who started the final round with a two stroke lead, shot a final round 71 only for his 13 under par target of 267 to be matched by McGowan, who spectacularly birdied the last two holes at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André, France, for a closing 69 to make the play-off.
But Baker was not to be denied, making a four at the first play-off hole to McGowan’s bogey five to claim the €22,400 (£15,621) first prize. By way of consolation McGowan moved to the top of the Challenge Tour Rankings after his second place cheque of €15,400 (£10,739) took him passed Chile’s Felipe Aquilar with earnings of €122,264 (£85,266).
Baker’s second Challenge Tour title of the season, on the day he celebrated his 40th birthday, will herald a new beginning for the former Ryder Cup player and three-time European Tour champion as he climbed to tenth on the Challenge Tour Rankings, with the top 20 at the end of the season earning promotion to The European Tour. It has been five years since Baker has held a full card on The European Tour and with just three events of the Challenge Tour season left, his place in the top 20 is now assured.
“It is incredible,” said Baker. “This win is huge for me. It was a tough day but I kept going and my experience carried me through. Getting my card back means everything to me. It has been a good few years without a full card. Now I am itching to get out there again. They say life begins at 40 so let’s hope so and things are better than my 30s.”
Baker started the day with a two stroke lead but was soon overtaken by Jamie Donaldson as the Welshman picked up four birdies and an eagle in his first 11 holes. But Baker hit back with an eagle of his own on the 11th after dropping two shots on the previous three holes and then Donaldson’s challenge faltered when he dropped three shots over the last five holes.
McGowan, already twice a winner on the Challenge Tour this season, then came through at the end with his two birdies to tie Baker but a mistake at the first extra hole, where he hooked his drive into the bunker and then hit his second heavy into an almost lie in the greenside bunker on his way to a five, proved costly with Baker safely finding the putting surface in two and two putting from 15 feet for the title.
“I played really well for the first three days but today I just couldn’t hole any putts,” added Baker. “I must have lipped out four or five times. I finally holed one from ten feet for the eagle on the 11th and just hung in there.
“It is always tough to win any tournament, unless you are Tiger Woods, but for us mere mortals it is tough. This was very, very special.”
Roddy Williams
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