Rhys Davies claims Hassan Trophy in Rabat
Sunday, 21 March 2010Welshman Rhys Davies captured his first European Tour title with a brilliant display in Morocco today.
The 24-year-old former Walker Cup amateur - he was a team-mate of Rory McIlroy in 2007 - lifted the Hassan Trophy by two shots after a closing seven under par 66 at Royal Dar Es Salam.
Davies trailed South African Louis Oosthuizen by three with 15 holes to play, but birdied eight of the next 11 and took the win with a 25 under total of 266.
For Oosthuizen it was a fourth runners-up finish on the circuit, while Frenchman Thomas Levet, Spaniard Ignacio Garrido, Finn Mikko Ilonen and another South African Thomas Aiken shared third place five strokes further back.
Ireland's Peter Lawrie and Gareth Maybin both finished on 15 under, while Darren Clarke finished five under.
Davies, British boy champion seven years ago, said: 'I'm a little bit lost at the moment - this is all completely surreal to me.
'I didn't really think very much out there. It was all a bit of a blur.'
Told about his eight birdies from the fourth to the 14th the Bridgend golfer, who will move into the world's top 100 as a result, added: 'I didn't know I did that.
'I just felt I could make every putt and felt in control of my swing. That was the best I've hit it all week.'
Davies finished third in his last tournament in Malaysia and will be watched closely now in the year when his home country stages the Ryder Cup for the first time.
'That's way out of my equation at the moment. This is the first win, hopefully the first of a few, and it's really special.'
