Aaron Rai wins Scotland Open in a play-off

Aaron Rai wins his first Rolex Series title at the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, after a play-off over Tommy Fleetwood.

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Aaron Rai wins maiden Rolex Series title after play-off in Scotland

Aaron Rai defeated Tommy Fleetwood in a play-off to win his first Rolex Series title at the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.

Shubhankar Sharma of India shot final round four-under-67 to finish in T26 with a four-under total.

The Englishman, Aaron signed for a wonderful 64 to set the target at 11 under but countryman Fleetwood holed a 20 foot putt on the last for a closing birdie to take it to extra holes at The Renaissance Club.

It was advantage Fleetwood off the tee as Rai found a bunker but the 25-year-old rescued his par and when Fleetwood three putted from just off the green, Rai had his second European Tour title.

England’s Robert Rock missed out on a place in the play-off by one shot after a bogey on the last in a 70, with Australian Lucas Herbert and home favourite Marc Warren at nine under after rounds of 65 and 66.

Rai’s victory comes after he finished second at last week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, and moves him into the top five on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex and the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “I played a lot in Scotland growing up, dreamed of playing in a European Tour event in Scotland. To be able to play in it was incredible a couple of years ago and to be able to go still further is an incredible feeling.

“I didn’t really see many leaderboards all the way around. I knew we had to play well and knew we had to cope pushing forwards but luckily I had a good couple of breaks and also played very well, so I’m very pleased.

“The Race to Dubai wasn’t something I was thinking of, or certainly winning it wasn’t something I was thinking of before this week.

“Any time you’re up there in the Race to Dubai, whether it’s winning it, whether it’s in the top three, top five, it shows a great degree of consistency with some really top results, as well. So still a long way to go in the season but it’s a great spot to be in.”

Fleetwood sits a spot ahead of Rai in the season-long standings, and was left to rue missed chances on the back nine in his 67 as he fell just short of a third Rolex Series win.

“I played really, really well today, especially on the back nine,” he said. “At the end of the day, I holed that one on the last to get in the play-off but putting cost me overall throughout week. It summed it up with I just pulled a straight putt on the last.

“It’s disappointing. Of course, you always look at the positives but I messed up on the first play-off hole and that’s that.

“It’s Aaron’s time, Aaron’s week. He played great last week. A worthy winner.”

Overnight leader Rock and Fleetwood both found sand off the tee at the first to drop shots and Rock soon had Herbert for company at the top.

The 36 hole leader had carded a 79 in the heavy rain on day three but he turned in 31 with the help of a stunning chip-in at the eighth and when he made the most of the par five tenth, he remarkably was back in the solo lead.

A bogey on the 12th as he failed to get up and down then dropped him back into a share alongside Rock and the surging Rai.

I played a lot in Scotland growing up, dreamed of playing in a European Tour event in Scotland. To be able to play in it was incredible a couple of years ago and to be able to go still further is an incredible feeling

Rai had bogeyed the second but sandwiched a birdie at the fourth with gains at the gettable third and fifth, before he took advantage of the seventh and made a 12 footer on the eighth.

A poor tee shot on the seventh saw Rock fall out of the lead and Herbert got his nose in front on his own with a 30 footer on the 15th.

Rai almost aced the 12th to set up a birdie but Herbert got up and down from the edge of the green on the 16th for another gain.

A Rai 13 footer on the 13th made it a tie again and when Herbert failed to get up and down again on the 17th, his race was run.

Rai’s playing partner Warren had been quietly going about his business with two birdies and a bogey on the front nine but he made gains on the 12th, 13th and 15th and when he put his second to 12 feet at the 16th for an eagle, he was in a share of the lead.

Parity did not last long as Rai got up and down from the sand on the same hole to set the target but the final group were building up a head of steam.

Fleetwood had played a beautiful bunker shot to birdie the fifth and made a two putt gain on the tenth before holing from 18 feet on the 11th.

He missed good chances on the 12th and 13th but holed from 18 feet again on the 15th and missed another golden chance on the 16th.

Rock, meanwhile, took advantage of the tenth and then holed from 15 feet on the 13th, 12 feet on the 15th and got up and down on the 16th to join the lead before the drama on the 18th.

Warren bogeyed the last to slip to nine under, a shot clear of Swede Marcus Kinhult, England’s Ian Poulter and South African Erik van Rooyen, with Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington, English pair Eddie Pepperell and Matthew Southgate, Frenchman Victor Dubuisson and Finn Kalle Samooja at seven under.