Dream comes true for Simon Khan with shock PGA victory

ENGLAND'S Simon Khan, ranked 471st in the world and not even in the event until Monday, was in dreamland at Wentworth yesterday when he came from seven behind to win the second most prestigious title in European golf.

• English golfer Simon Khan putts to win on the 18th green during the final day of the PGA Championship. Pic: AFP

The 37-year-old from Essex, who faced an uncertain future when he had to go back to the qualifying school last November, produced the biggest final-day comeback in the history of the European Tour's flagship PGA Championship.

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A 20-foot birdie putt on the last, which curled round the back of the cup before toppling in, gave Khan the first prize of over 637,000 by a stroke from Ryder Cup star Luke Donald and Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed.

Scotland's Stephen Gallacher was only two shots off Khan in fourth place, after a very encouraging weekend for the man from Bathgate, carding a 70 in his final round to finish on 280.

Khan's stunning five-under-par 66, the round of his life, also brings him a five-year tour exemption and a place in July's Open at St Andrews.

"This is what I've always dreamed of doing," said Khan, whose career had fallen away since he won the 2004 Wales Open and two years later was a distant runner-up in this tournament behind David Howell.

"It's as much for the family as it is for me – it's unbelievable to be standing here right now.

"This means everything. This tournament is the reason I started playing golf and just being here is special this year."

With a six-under-par total of 278 on the controversial and far tougher West Course, he becomes the first player to win the trophy after needing a sponsor's invitation.

As a youngster Khan remembers travelling to Wentworth from his home – it involved bus, tube and train – to watch stars like Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo compete at the Surrey venue.

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He turned professional in 1991 but, like Ian Poulter, worked as an assistant at a club before finally securing a European Tour card at the eighth attempt 10 years later.

Last season he had only one top-10 finish, yet when he went to the dreaded school he won it. Even that, though, gave no hint of what was to come six months later.

Andersson Hed, also joint 13th after 54 holes and winner of his first European Tour title at the Italian Open two weeks ago, sank a 12-foot putt on the last to set the target of five under with a 67.

Khan clipped a stroke off that aggregate with his dramatic putt 20 minutes later, but out on the course Donald was also six under.

That was still how he stood with two to play, but the shot that cost the world No 18 was his drive into the trees on the right down the long 17th.

He could only chop it out, and then chipped long and two-putted for a double-bogey seven. Suddenly he needed to eagle the 539-yard last to tie, and he simply did not have the length to go for the carry over the controversial new water hazard in two.

Donald was left having to hole his pitch – and almost did, the ball being six inches from the cup when the spin took over and took it away.

While it was a day Khan will never forget, it was one Bristol 22-year-old Chris Wood will not want to dwell on.

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Wood was two ahead of Robert Karlsson setting out, but the pair of them slumped to 77s and came joint sixth and joint 13th respectively. Karlsson, who had to make a hasty flight back from Monte Carlo for the weekend after originally thinking he had missed the cut, had scored a course-record 62 on his return.

Khan shared the best round of the day with Lee Westwood, who thanks to Karlsson's closing double-bogey seven finished joint 10th and just hangs onto to his world No 3 position.

Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, meanwhile, managed only a 74, but his eagle at the 17th – one of only three there all week – could be enough to keep him in the world's top 50 and qualify him for the US Open and Open Championship.