Max Kennedy’s hopes of a first professional victory were dashed early in the final round of the MENA Tour’s Rolear Algarve Classic as Chris Wood went on to secure a one-stroke victory.
Starting the final round three shots back and in solo third place, the wheels came off on the first hole for Kennedy who gave himself a mountain to climb by recording a double bogey on the par-5 opening hole at Amendoeira Golf Resort’s O’Connor Course.
He followed that with a bogey on the sixth and made the turn at +3, his chances of victory gone, but three birdies in successive holes to start the back nine got him back to level-par, and that’s how he finished the day after trading a bogey on 14 with a birdie on the last.
Tyler Hogarty, on the other hand, produced a stunning seven-under 65 despite bogeying the 18th to streak up the leaderboard and join Kennedy in a share of seventh at -8, while Paul McBride’s closing one-under 71 saw him finish T23 on -3.
The consolation for Kennedy is that he’s have had to match Hogarty’s score to get on level terms with Wood. The 38-year-old Englishman, who began the final day with a one-shot lead, finished at 16-under-par to hold off Scotland’s Aidan O’Hagan, whose matching 67 saw him finish alone in second place at 15-under.
Germany’s Max Schmitt produced the round of the day with a course-record bogey-free nine-under 63 to surge into third place at 13-under-par.
Wood’s remarkable week saw him play 52 holes without a blemish before finally dropping his first and only shot at the 17th hole on Thursday, a statistic that underlined his control and consistency throughout the tournament.
“It was a great start. I hit a lovely pitch into the first to a foot, another good pitch for about eight feet on the second, held a nice putt from 20 feet on the third,” said Wood, who opened with three consecutive birdies. “I felt very in control today, so yeah, I’m really pleased.”
The three-time DP World Tour winner acknowledged O’Hagan’s challenge throughout the final round. “Fair play to him. He hit some great shots on the back nine. I missed a couple of greens, managed to get up and down two out of those three. He was there all day long, really.”
Despite the pressure of protecting his lead, Wood remained focused on his own process with caddie Chris Lloyd, his fellow Bristolian and former playing partner, on the bag. “I’m so into what I’m doing and me and Lloydy, what we’re doing out there. He could have shot 63, I could have shot 67, I’d have shaken his hand. I’d have been pleased with how I did today. It’s worked out that I’ve managed to come out on top.”
The victory caps a significant period in Wood’s resurgence after a difficult spell away from competitive golf, and his last victory came at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth back in 2016.
“I’m gutted that I bogeyed the 17th – that was my only bogey all week. But to finish my season with a win is amazing. I’ve got some work that I want to get into over the winter and have a little break but come out ready for the first couple in Egypt.”
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