Ross McGowan ends long wait with victory at Italian Open

England’s Ross McGowan ended a wait of 11 years and 15 days to claim his second European Tour title with a dramatic victory at the Italian Open.

England's Ross McGowan savours his victory at the Italian Open.

The 38-year-old has spent much of the last decade in the golfing wilderness after winning the Madrid Masters in 2009 and almost making it onto Colin Montgomerie's Ryder Cup team the following year.

He lost his place on the European Tour in 2011 and despite successful trips to the qualifying school in 2015 and 2017, he has not finished in Europe's top 150 since 2010.

But he put all that behind him in Brescia, holing a spectacular bunker shot on the 16th and then making a 20-foot putt on the par-five last for two late birdies that handed him a closing 71 and a one-shot win over countryman Laurie Canter and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts at 20 under.

"I didn't really foresee this, my form hasn't been great. But I felt like I was playing better, definitely around the greens,” he said. "I think I'm going to have to go and have a nice big glass of red wine and think about what's next."