Soderberg wins 5-man playoff for European Masters title
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — Sebastian Soderberg won a five-man playoff for the European Masters title on Sunday, sinking his birdie putt on the first extra hole when Rory McIlroy and others could not.
History repeated itself for McIlroy at the Crans-sur-Sierre club in the Swiss Alps, where he lost a playoff as a 19-year-old in 2008.
Soderberg seemed to waste his best chance of victory on the 17th green, three-putting from five feet to fall into a share of the lead at 14 under.
The 28-year-old Swede carded a 4-under 66 for a 266 total, alongside his playing partners McIlroy (67) and Lorenzo Gagli (67), and was soon joined by Kalle Samooja (67) and third-round leader Andres Romero (70).
Playing the par-4 18th as the first extra hole, the former Coastal Carolina University student Soderberg was the only player to stay on the fairway.
Soderberg made his putt from about eight feet before McIlroy and Samooja missed from closer range.
It was a first title for Soderberg, whose winner’s check more than doubled his career winnings on the European Tour.
