Japan’s Kota Kaneko held his nerve to secure a first DP World Tour title with a two-shot victory at the Austrian Alpine Open presented by Kitzbühel Tirol.
The 23-year-old, who topped last season’s Japan Golf Tour Order of Merit to earn his DP World Tour card for this season, fired a final round 67 (-3) to finish on 18 under par at Kitzbühel-Schwarzsee-Reith, two ahead of Ricardo Gouveia and Davis Bryant in a share of second.
Kaneko arrived in Austria off the back of a runner-up finish at last week’s Soudal Open, and he was delighted to go one better just seven days later and claim the €401,554 first place prize.
With Sunday’s tee times moved forward four hours to avoid an incoming lightning threat, it was Gouveia who made the first move at the second hole to sit alongside third round leader Kaneko at 15 under, but the Portuguese player was soon on his own in front when his Japanese playing partner dropped a shot at the next.
Kaneko hit back with a birdie at the fifth to return to the summit, before home favourite Max Steinlechner joined them in a three-way tie.
Steinlechner enjoyed two birdie bursts to catapult himself into contention, with a hat-trick of gains from the second before another treble of birdies from the ninth. He was not the only Austrian to surge up the leaderboard as nine-time DP World Tour winner Bernd Wiesberger followed a birdie at the third with three more gains from the sixth to reach 15 under.
Joost Luiten finished his front nine with his third birdie of the day to increase the leadership group to five, only for Gouveia to drain a 15-foot birdie putt to take the outright lead at the same hole. Gouveia improved to 17 under with a birdie at the tenth, but Kaneko was one behind after following suit. However, the Portuguese leader got in trouble at the next and could not save par, slipping back alongside Kaneko at 16 under.
Kaneko put his foot on the pedal with a birdie at the 12th before a stunning tee-shot at the par-three 13th. Wiesberger holed a putt from downtown to join Gouveia at 16 under, but the pair were soon two behind. The Japanese player held his nerve from three feet to card his third birdie in four holes and become the first player to reach 18 under.
Bryant closed the gap to one, following an eagle and four birdies by the 16th, while Kaneko got out of position at the 15th and had a long putt to save par, which he lipped out after the lengthy weather delay.
That meant Kaneko and Bryant were tied at the top at 17 under, but only for one more hole. Despite finding the rough at the par-three 16th, Kaneko holed his chip shot to regain his one-shot advantage at 18 under. Bryant bogeyed the last to gift the Japanese a two-shot lead, something he did not throw away.
Kaneko parred his way home, despite a scary finish when he hit the stands behind the green and his ball stopped in the thick rough by the water hazard, to claim his maiden DP World Tour title.
Kota Kaneko WITB
Driver: Ping G440 Max (10.5°)
Fairway Woods: TaylorMade Qi4D (16.5°), TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (21°), TaylorMade Qi4D (24°)
Irons: TaylorMade P-760 (5-9)
Wedges: Titleist, Vokey SM11 (46°, 52°, 56°, 60°)
Putter: Odyssey Ai-ONE Cruiser Arm Lock 7
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
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