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Wu Ashun takes honours after thrilling Lyoness Open finish

Ashun Wu of China celebrates with the trophy after winning the Lyoness Open
Image: Wu Ashun of China with the trophy after winning the Lyoness Open

China's Wu Ashun created more history by claiming his second European Tour title after a rollercoaster final round of the Lyoness Open.

Wu carded a closing 69 at the Diamond Country Club to finish 13 under par, one shot ahead of playing partner Adrian Otaegui, with England's Richard McEvoy equalling the best finish of his career in third.

The 30-year-old was the first Chinese player to win on home soil when he lifted the Volvo China Open title last year and is now the first from his country to win on European soil and the first to win twice on the European Tour.

"I am very happy right now," Wu said. "It was a very exciting finish and I still cannot believe it but my playing partners were really good and the scores were very close. My mindset was very good and it was a great week overall.

"It feels so good to win. I felt really good out there and this is a great event so I'm very happy to win this tournament. I really enjoyed the week."

Ashun Wu
Image: Wu Ashun celebrates after sinking the winning putt at the Lyoness Open

After starting the day a shot behind South Africa's Zander Lombard, Wu surged into a three-shot lead thanks to five birdies and a bogey in a front nine of 32.

However, that lead lasted just two holes as the world number 222 found water with his approach to the 10th to card a double bogey and then bogeyed the 11th after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker.

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That left him tied with McEvoy and Otaegui on 11 under, before McEvoy took full advantage of the tee being brought forward on the 13th by driving the green on the 281-yard par four to set up a two-putt birdie.

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The final group of Wu, Otaegui and Lombard all opted to play safe on the same hole, but Wu pitched to eight feet and holed for birdie to join McEvoy in the lead, with Lombard converting from twice the distance to remain a shot behind.

Wu regained the outright lead with a birdie on the par-five 15th, where his approach almost span back into the hole, but Otaegui birdied the same hole and also the 16th to join his playing partner on 13 under.

However, Otaegui then failed to save par from short of the 17th green and with McEvoy dropping his only shot of the day on the 18th, Wu was left with a one-shot lead with one hole to play and safely made par after Otaegui narrowly missed his birdie attempt.