Ex-Ryder Cup ace Wood gets back to big-time in Turkey
Before rookie winner Martin Couvra took victory on Sunday, Wood, a former European PGA Championship winner at Wentworth who was part of Europe's Ryder Cup team at Hazeltine under Darren Clarke, wrote an emotional story in Antalya.
Chronic anxiety and burnout led to a dramatic drop in Wood's form from 2019, with his last top-10 coming at the 2018 KLM Open.
"It's been horrendous, to be honest," said Wood, who was playing on a sponsor's invitation after losing his card and whose 11-under total gave him a share of seventh, six shots behind Couvra.
"It's been - since 2019 really - I just feel like I've been going through hell, so to put a score together today is obviously great.
"I've been working so hard at home just quietly with a great team and it's been a long old road, to be honest.
"I never lost belief in myself - you obviously have days where it feels harder than some.
"The fire in my belly has always been there. I'm relying on invites this year. I'm ready - I'm practising so well at home that a call last minute is not a problem, I'm ready to go.
"Hopefully this is a first little step forward and anyone who wants me at their event, please pick up the phone because I need a few starts this year."
Couvra had led at the halfway stage but a third-round 72 left him four shots off the pace going into the final round.
However, the 22-year-old Frenchman produced a superb 64 to finish two shots clear of Spain's Jorge Campillo and China's Li Haotong.
"It was amazing to win on my first year on the DP World Tour - it's just a dream," said Couvra.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Penge holds his nerve to beat Hojgaard in Danish duel
English golfer Marco Penge tapped in for a birdie at the 18th hole to win the Danish Golf Championship by a stroke from Rasmus Hojgaard, who missed a chance to climb into the automatic qualifying positions for Europe's Ryder Cup team. Hojgaard looked on course for the title in his home country when he powered into a four-shot lead midway through his front nine, only to drop four strokes in four holes from No.10 and allow Penge to take the lead. Penge walked down the par-5 18th with a two-shot cushion over Hojgaard in the final pairing, but saw his partner roll in an eagle putt from 10 feet to the delight of the crowd at Furesø Golf Klub in Copenhagen. The 97th-ranked Penge needed to hole a birdie putt from three feet for the win and he held his nerve to shoot four-under-par 67, finish on 16 under for the week and seal a second European tour title. Both victories have come this year, with the first at the Hainan Classic in April. Hojgaard (69) was the runner-up and will remain outside the six automatic qualifying spots, just behind No.6 Sepp Straka, in the race to get into Europe's team for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black next month. Australia's Elvis Smylie carded an impressive final round 68 to finish nine under and in a share of sixth place, seven shots adrift of the winner. Compatriot Jason Scrivener was three shots further back after a closing-round 71. There is one qualifying event left for both players next week. Hojgaard will play at the British Masters on the European tour and Straka is scheduled to play on the PGA Tour at the Tour Championship, which offers more qualifying points. English golfer Marco Penge tapped in for a birdie at the 18th hole to win the Danish Golf Championship by a stroke from Rasmus Hojgaard, who missed a chance to climb into the automatic qualifying positions for Europe's Ryder Cup team. Hojgaard looked on course for the title in his home country when he powered into a four-shot lead midway through his front nine, only to drop four strokes in four holes from No.10 and allow Penge to take the lead. Penge walked down the par-5 18th with a two-shot cushion over Hojgaard in the final pairing, but saw his partner roll in an eagle putt from 10 feet to the delight of the crowd at Furesø Golf Klub in Copenhagen. The 97th-ranked Penge needed to hole a birdie putt from three feet for the win and he held his nerve to shoot four-under-par 67, finish on 16 under for the week and seal a second European tour title. Both victories have come this year, with the first at the Hainan Classic in April. Hojgaard (69) was the runner-up and will remain outside the six automatic qualifying spots, just behind No.6 Sepp Straka, in the race to get into Europe's team for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black next month. Australia's Elvis Smylie carded an impressive final round 68 to finish nine under and in a share of sixth place, seven shots adrift of the winner. Compatriot Jason Scrivener was three shots further back after a closing-round 71. There is one qualifying event left for both players next week. Hojgaard will play at the British Masters on the European tour and Straka is scheduled to play on the PGA Tour at the Tour Championship, which offers more qualifying points. English golfer Marco Penge tapped in for a birdie at the 18th hole to win the Danish Golf Championship by a stroke from Rasmus Hojgaard, who missed a chance to climb into the automatic qualifying positions for Europe's Ryder Cup team. Hojgaard looked on course for the title in his home country when he powered into a four-shot lead midway through his front nine, only to drop four strokes in four holes from No.10 and allow Penge to take the lead. Penge walked down the par-5 18th with a two-shot cushion over Hojgaard in the final pairing, but saw his partner roll in an eagle putt from 10 feet to the delight of the crowd at Furesø Golf Klub in Copenhagen. The 97th-ranked Penge needed to hole a birdie putt from three feet for the win and he held his nerve to shoot four-under-par 67, finish on 16 under for the week and seal a second European tour title. Both victories have come this year, with the first at the Hainan Classic in April. Hojgaard (69) was the runner-up and will remain outside the six automatic qualifying spots, just behind No.6 Sepp Straka, in the race to get into Europe's team for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black next month. Australia's Elvis Smylie carded an impressive final round 68 to finish nine under and in a share of sixth place, seven shots adrift of the winner. Compatriot Jason Scrivener was three shots further back after a closing-round 71. There is one qualifying event left for both players next week. Hojgaard will play at the British Masters on the European tour and Straka is scheduled to play on the PGA Tour at the Tour Championship, which offers more qualifying points. English golfer Marco Penge tapped in for a birdie at the 18th hole to win the Danish Golf Championship by a stroke from Rasmus Hojgaard, who missed a chance to climb into the automatic qualifying positions for Europe's Ryder Cup team. Hojgaard looked on course for the title in his home country when he powered into a four-shot lead midway through his front nine, only to drop four strokes in four holes from No.10 and allow Penge to take the lead. Penge walked down the par-5 18th with a two-shot cushion over Hojgaard in the final pairing, but saw his partner roll in an eagle putt from 10 feet to the delight of the crowd at Furesø Golf Klub in Copenhagen. The 97th-ranked Penge needed to hole a birdie putt from three feet for the win and he held his nerve to shoot four-under-par 67, finish on 16 under for the week and seal a second European tour title. Both victories have come this year, with the first at the Hainan Classic in April. Hojgaard (69) was the runner-up and will remain outside the six automatic qualifying spots, just behind No.6 Sepp Straka, in the race to get into Europe's team for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black next month. Australia's Elvis Smylie carded an impressive final round 68 to finish nine under and in a share of sixth place, seven shots adrift of the winner. Compatriot Jason Scrivener was three shots further back after a closing-round 71. There is one qualifying event left for both players next week. Hojgaard will play at the British Masters on the European tour and Straka is scheduled to play on the PGA Tour at the Tour Championship, which offers more qualifying points.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Perth Now
Penge holds his nerve to beat Hojgaard in Danish duel
English golfer Marco Penge tapped in for a birdie at the 18th hole to win the Danish Golf Championship by a stroke from Rasmus Hojgaard, who missed a chance to climb into the automatic qualifying positions for Europe's Ryder Cup team. Hojgaard looked on course for the title in his home country when he powered into a four-shot lead midway through his front nine, only to drop four strokes in four holes from No.10 and allow Penge to take the lead. Penge walked down the par-5 18th with a two-shot cushion over Hojgaard in the final pairing, but saw his partner roll in an eagle putt from 10 feet to the delight of the crowd at Furesø Golf Klub in Copenhagen. The 97th-ranked Penge needed to hole a birdie putt from three feet for the win and he held his nerve to shoot four-under-par 67, finish on 16 under for the week and seal a second European tour title. Both victories have come this year, with the first at the Hainan Classic in April. Hojgaard (69) was the runner-up and will remain outside the six automatic qualifying spots, just behind No.6 Sepp Straka, in the race to get into Europe's team for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black next month. Australia's Elvis Smylie carded an impressive final round 68 to finish nine under and in a share of sixth place, seven shots adrift of the winner. Compatriot Jason Scrivener was three shots further back after a closing-round 71. There is one qualifying event left for both players next week. Hojgaard will play at the British Masters on the European tour and Straka is scheduled to play on the PGA Tour at the Tour Championship, which offers more qualifying points.
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Perth Now
Wonderful, wonderful ... great Dane leads in Copenhagen
Rasmus Hojgaard has delighted his home fans and boosted his Ryder Cup push by opening up a two-shot lead at the Danish Golf Championship. Hojgaard added a seven-under-par 64 to his opening 66 at Fureso Golf Klub on Friday to take the lead at the halfway mark. The 24-year-old Dane is currently eighth on Team Europe's Ryder Cup points list, just outside the automatic top-six spots, with Luke Donald making six captain picks after the British Masters on August 24. "You feed off each other a little bit," Hojgaard, the 2023 champion said about the Danish fans at the European tour event. "I was obviously feeling good out there. Trying to make as many birdies as possible and with them cheering me on, I just wanted to keep it going for as long as possible. "It died a little towards the end when I made that annoying bogey at eight, but it was a great atmosphere out there." Hojgaard, who started at the 10th hole, began with six straight pars before backing up a birdie at the 16th with an eagle at the par-five 18th after hitting his approach shot to three feet. A run of five birdies in the opening six holes on his back nine gave him breathing space at the top. Hojgaard's solitary bogey at the eighth cost him the outright course record, instead matching Marco Penge's first-round score on Thursday. Englishman Penge is two shots adrift on 10-under after a 68 consisting of six birdies and three bogeys, while Canadian Aaron Cockerill sits in third, three strokes further back. Jason Scrivener enjoyed one of his best rounds on tour for a while, a four-under 67, to be the leading Australian in joint-seventh place on five under. Elvis Smylie was also still handily placed at three under, tied for 18th, after his 71. None of the rest of the Australian contingent made the cut, though -- Brett Coletta (73 for two over), Danny List (74 for four over), Daniel Gale (75 for six over) and David Micheluzzi (71 for seven over).
