There was no first victory for Robin Dawson at the Made in Denmark as a congested leaderboard swarmed on top of the Tramore man’s chances.
Dawson entered the final round just two shots off the lead and a birdie at the first did nothing but heighten the optimism around the 23-year old’s potential to break through on the paid circuit.
Unfortunately the sparks that lit up his scorecard for three rounds prior failed to ignite on Saturday and although he managed to return a something in the red at minus-one for a 16-under par total, eventually finishing in a tie for 18th, Dawson fell six shots short of the winning mark.
That distinction fell on Calum Hill who picked up the second win in his last three starts by sealing a one-shot victory in Denmark.
The Scot began the final day in a five-way tie for the lead, but birdied his first two holes and then continued to push further under par, playing the sort of game which has characterised the last month of his career.
In a run of form beginning at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, where the 24-year-old finished as the joint low-Scot, he has played four tournaments in a combined 67 under par, winning the Euram Bank Open and finishing tied-third at the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge in the process, before triumphing this week in Skanderborg.
“I had a fantastic week up in Scotland with it being my first taste of a Rolex Series event,” he said. “Having a nice finish there just put a little cherry on top and gave me a little bit of confidence going forward.
“Then winning in Austria was a really big kick up and it got me feeling good. I didn’t get it done last week in Finland but I’m very happy to have another good week here in Denmark.
“If you can keep having good weeks it makes a big difference.”
Hill now finds himself second in the Challenge Tour Rankings, and in pursuit of a third win this season, which would see him immediately graduate to the European Tour under the three-win rule.
“A third win would obviously be the best outcome if that were able to happen,” he said. “If not I’ll carry on for the rest of the season and hope to stay in that top 15 and get a European Tour card for next year, but I’m very happy with how things have panned out and I can’t complain at all.”
Joel Sjöholm carded rounds of 65-69-65-68 to finish alone in second. The Swede pushed Hill right to the end, making a brilliant up and down on the final hole to secure his position on 22 under par and force Hill to make an up and down of his own for the win.
The runner-up finish is the second of the season for Sjöholm, and moves him 30 places up the Rankings into eighth.
The low-Dane honours at the Made in Denmark Challenge went to Benjamin Poke, who set the clubhouse target of 20 under par and finished in a tie for third with Dutchman Daan Huizing.
Another notable performance from the Danish contingent came from 21-year-old amateur John Axelsen, who finished tied-fifth on 19 under par.
The University of Florida student formed part of the Denmark’s first winning team at the World Amateur Team Championships last year along with rising Challenge Tour stars Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard.
The Challenge Tour will now travel to the innovative ISPS Handa World Invitational Men I Women, Presented by Modest! Golf Management.
The ground-breaking event will mark the first time that men and women compete in one tournament for equal prize funds in Europe and will take place at Galgorm Spa and Golf Resort in Northern Ireland from August 15-18.
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