Debutant Horsey takes advantage of Dredge drama. English one-two at the BMW International Open 2010. Alex Cejka finishes as leading German in a tie for third.

Munich. The BMW International Open 2010 title has been decided in a dramatic final round in southern Germany. Bradley Dredge, who had led Germany’s only professional European Tour event from day one, suffered a collapse over the back nine on a level rarely seen on the championship course at Eichenried near Munich. Englishman David Horsey took full advantage to wrap up the win in what was his debut appearance at the BMW International Open.

While Dredge dropped no fewer than five shots between the 10th and 16th holes, Horsey put in a faultless day’s work. In conditions that were trickier than over the first three days of the tournament – the “preferred lie” rule was not applied on Sunday – the Englishman managed a bogey-free 67. A four-round total of 270 (69,67,67,67 – 18 under par) gave him a one-shot cushion over his fellow countryman Ross Fisher.

This was the first victory on the European Tour for the 25-year-old from Stockport. “It’s unbelievable,” he said, after receiving the winner’s cheque for €333,330. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would win this tournament.” Horsey had to banish the ghosts of the BMW Italian Open at the beginning of May when he threw away his chance of winning with a bogey at the last hole. Today, though, he held his nerve to finish with a birdie on the 18th.

Dredge had earlier holed another two birdies over the opening nine holes to maintain a comfortable lead. However, the good work was undone by bogeys on the 10th, 12th and 14th holes. The Welshman then met his Waterloo on the short par-four 16th, when he almost sent his tee-shot into the water, got into further trouble with his subsequent recoveries and ended up taking a double-bogey.

Behind Fisher, who clinched second place with an eagle at the last, were five players on a 16-under-par total of 272 – Dredge, England’s Kenneth Ferrie, Pablo Larrazábal and Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain and local favourite Alex Cejka. The 39-year-old shot a third 67 in succession in the tournament held near his former home city of Munich to leap up the field from 15th place overnight. Like the winner, he also carded a bogey-free round.

“I’m really pleased that things have worked out so well again in Munich,” said Cejka, whose best result at Eichenried remains a second place in 2003. The German player now lives in Las Vegas and was particularly cheered by the support he received from the 12,800 spectators at the course. “It was nice to get that huge reception at the 18th hole,” he acknowledged.

The total of 51,500 fans who flocked to Eichenried over the last week witnessed a tournament dominated by relatively unheralded players. Star names such as South Africa’s Ernie Els and Sergio García of Spain failed to make the mid-way cut, while Germany’s Martin Kaymer was unable to fulfil his dream of claiming his second BMW International Open title after winning the tournament in 2008. However, a 69 in the final round gave him a share of 21st place in the final standings and an upbeat conclusion to the tournament. Plus, the world number 11 delighted his many supporters by pulling on a German national football team shirt for the final hole.

Earlier, Jean-François Lucquin had provided one of the highlights of the day’s play with a hole-in-one at the 17th. The Frenchman’s 184–yard (168-metre) six-iron off the tee continued straight into the hole to earn him a BMW 535i worth around €80,000.

“We’ve seen some spectacular shots and great golf,” summed up tournament president Karsten Engel, BMW Group Vice President Sales Germany. “And the final few holes were, of course very dramatic. We congratulate the winner David Horsey wholeheartedly, and Bradley Dredge will get another chance to win here, that’s for sure. For our part, we’re already looking forward to next year’s tournament and would like to thank the huge number of spectators who have come to watch the golf here at Eichenried despite the World Cup.”

As announced, the tournament finished earlier than originally scheduled, at 15.45. The fans and players then gathered from around the course to watch the crunch World Cup football match between England and Germany.