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Playoff victory for rookie Richard O'Donovan

Preis des Hardenberg GolfResort

Richard O'Donovan is the winner of the 2014 Preis des Hardenberg GolfResort. The 23 year old from Ireland prevailed on the first extra hole in an evening playoff against Benjamin Weilguni from Austria.


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Northeim/Germany − What a perfect start into a professional career: Richard O'Donovan from Celbridge in Ireland turned pro only six weeks ago; now he already secured himself his maiden tour victory. Playing par on the 12th hole of the Hardenberg GolfResort in an evening playoff against Benjamin Weilguni from Austria he won the trophy of the second last tournament of the season plus 5000 euro prize money. "It is unbelievable", O'Donovan said after making the decisive putt. Earlier today, on his 54th hole of the tournament, he had missed a four footer to go 6 under par and win straight ahead. But later he managed to make the winning putt on the 12th green, the par 3 signature hole of the Hardenberg GolfResort. After three rounds O'Donovan (72, 68, 68) and Weilguni (74, 68, 66) had shared first place with 5 under par. Third place went to Sebastian Heisele from Germany who finished 3 under par (66, 74, 70) and moved forward to runner-up position in the Pro Golf Tour Order of Merit.

Marcel Schneider (Germany) finished T27 in Northeim and remains No.1 of the ranking list. But Heisele as well as Sean Einhaus, No. 3 of the Order of Merit do have a chance by calculation to win the 2014 overal trophy themselves at the final tournament of the season in Poland by the end of the month (25th to 27th September).

For O'Donovan who is coached by Neil Nanchip it was his first playoff and only his 4th professional tournament. Last week he had also taken part at the Pro Golf Tour's Gut Bissenmoor Classic but with +16 (75+83) he had clearly missed the cut (+3). This time everything went perfect for the young Irishman and especially his teeshots went where he wanted them to go.