Oliver Wilson salvaged his golf career and ended his wait for a first European Tour win at the Alfred Dunhill links championship at St Andrews yesterday.
The Englishman, who was ranked 792 in the world, has been playing on the Challenge Tour in recent seasons after losing his card on the main tour in 2012. Wilson, who played in the 2008 Ryder Cup, earned £490,000 for the victory and a two-year exemption on the European Tour.
He said: “I have dreamed of this many times but in the circumstances that this happened I can’t believe it.
“Three or four weeks ago it was looking pretty grim for my career. It is amazing what is possible in professional golf. To come here and win at the Home of Golf with the world’s best player Rory McIlroy in front of me means the world to me.”
Aberdeen’s Richie Ramsay, world number one Rory McIlroy and England’s Tommy Fleetwood finished tied second, one shot adrift of Wilson, while Chris Doak secured his European Tour status courtesy of a fifth-placed finish.
Ramsay said: “If you’re going to lose to someone, you’d like to lose to Ollie. He’s a nice guy, down to earth and obviously he’s gone through a tough time the last two or three years.
“To win at St Andrews under intense pressure knowing it will put him back on the European Tour is life-changing.”
Golf, Pages 50, 51