Nacho Elvira carded a gutsy level-par 71 to hold on and claim his second DP World Tour title at the Soudal Open after a dramatic afternoon at Rinkven International Golf Club.

The Spaniard entered the final day with a four-shot advantage and quickly extended that to five but at the finale found himself on the 18th green at 18 under watching playing partner Niklas Nørgaard stand over a birdie putt to force a play-off.

The Dane, however, missed his 12-footer, leaving Elvira to celebrate a one-shot victory, with Frenchman Romain Langasque and home favourite Thomas Pieters in a share of second.

“It’s such a relief,” said Nacho. “It’s been tough because my two iron cracked in the warm up and I needed it a bit today.

“I was quite nervous because I wasn’t hitting it off the tee well. It was all heart the last few holes because I knew I had a couple of driving holes I wasn’t comfortable with. That chip on 17 was key I think.”

English duo Joe Dean and Matthew Jordan were then at 16 under, with Dean the only player to briefly share the lead with Elvira during a tense fourth round.

Elvira’s victory serves as a reward for some remarkable consistency in a 2024 season where he has missed just one cut by a single shot and finished second at the Magical Kenya Open.

The 37-year-old’s victory at the 2021 Cazoo Open supported by Gareth Bale came after a play-off despite him entering the final round in Wales with a six-shot advantage and there was a chance that he could need extra holes again as he scrambled over the closing holes.

A broken two iron in the warm-up and 23-minute rain delay in the middle of the round added further complications but Elvira showed remarkable determination to get over the line and seal an emotional victory.

Elvira leads the European Swing on 500 points after the first of six counting events. The fourth of five Global Swings on the 2024 Race to Dubai, the winner of the European Swing will earn $200,000, gain exemption into the next Rolex Series event – the Genesis Scottish Open – and qualify for each of the ‘Back 9’ events. The season then concludes with the DP World Tour Play-Offs.

Image: Getty Images