Oman Open: 1st podium for Saddier, 1st title for Valimaki

The unexpected Finnish Sami Valimaki, 21, wins the Oman Open to everyone's surprise by beating the South African Brandon Stone in the 3rd playoff hole. The two men were at -13 after 72 holes, a blow in front of Adrien Saddier, superb third! Beyond the hundredth place after its 74 card at the opening, the Finnish massif has returned to the forefront thanks in particular to its 64 card on Saturday. The quadruple winner in the third division of the Pro Golf Tour last year (qualified on the European Tour by European cards) concluded his day with a putt of 50cm for the victory, after having snatched the playoff with a six meter putt at the 72nd hole.

INCREDIBLE!

21-year-old @sami_valimakiholes a monster to force a play-off! # OmanOpenpic.twitter.com / AY6EFCaqD1

First podium for Adrien Saddier

Adrien Saddier and Clément Sordet were both vying for the title Sunday morning. The Haut-Savoyard mortgaged its chances with two initial bogeyx, but the proud and talented student of Benoît Ducoulombier chained four birdies in five holes to relaunch. His two birdies in a row on the return (15 and 16) even allowed him to be alone in the lead at -13! Unfortunately, his bogey at 17, combined with the birdies of Valimaki and Stone, blocked his way to the playoff. Often unlucky and on the wrong side of the line (like this 17th place in the order of merit of the Challenge Tour in 2016, while the top 16 was qualified that year), the winner of the Fred Olsen Challenge in 2016 on the second European division has shown great courage to fight at the top of the rankings. Only third on a podium less than 25 years old on average, the 27-year-old Habs nevertheless jumps to 50th place in the Race to Dubai after a very encouraging performance for the next three tournaments on the European circuit.

The clubhouse lead belongs to @Saddier_Adrien

Now he waits ... # OmanOpenpic.twitter.com/JvvAu20JZ8

Clément Sordet cracks on the return

Clément Sordet had an opposite trajectory on Sunday with a superb start to the day (three birdies on his first five holes) to settle in the lead. But his return journey was too hectic with no par and especially five bogeys and a double-bogey, which his three birdies failed to compensate for. The Lyonnais finally finished tenth alongside Antoine Rozner and Martin Kaymer. Robin Roussel snatches a place in the top 20 (18th, -7). Alexander Levy, Benjamin Hébert and Victor Dubuisson (-3) snatch a place in the top 50. Robin Sciot-Siegrist painfully finished 67th (+3). Finally, we salute the performance of the Italians who were heckled at the start of the week. Feverish and placed in quarantine for a few hours, Lorenzo Gagli signs a nice top 10, three shots behind his compatriot Guido Migliozzi who finishes at the foot of the podium. The other Italian victim, Edoardo Molinari, could not do better than 50th.

From distance, @ ClementSordet✅ # OmanOpenpic.twitter.com / lL4Xrj78oP