If we’ve learned one thing about Thriston Lawrence in the 18 months he has been performing on the DP World Tour, it is that the South African has a head for heights.
He arrived in Germany last week without a top-20 finish in his previous seven worldwide starts, but playing golf in thin air once more worked its magic on this 26-year-old who thrives when competing a significant distance above sea level.
His victory Sunday in the BMW International Open at Golfclub München Eichenried is a fourth on the circuit in 19 months and sits alongside the 2021 Joburg Open, the 2022 European Masters and the 2022 South African Open. True, they were all on courses situated on the Highveld or in the Alps at higher than 1,450 metres (4,757 feet) above sea level, while Munich is a mere 520 (1,706 feet), but caddies and players alike acknowledge that taking into account longer flight distances is a subtle aspect of the Eichenried test.
Coincidence? Or the sign of a golfer who shines when mathematically multi-tasking?
Whatever, Lawrence entered the final round four shots in arrears of 54-hole leader Joost Luiten and opened with a par that was one of only five he would post throughout a rollercoaster day. He swapped eight birdies with five bogeys as he quickly emerged as the main threat to the Dutchman’s lead.
When Lawrence missed a short birdie putt at the 16th, however, his challenge seemed spent yet he bounced back with a rare birdie at the par-3 17th before securing par at the last for a round of 3-under 69 and a clubhouse target of 13-under 275.
Luiten, meanwhile, had stalled and eventually would sign for a 74 to fall a shot shy of forcing extra holes. The 37-year-old is a six-time winner on the DP World Tour, but it has been five-plus years since he lifted a trophy. He has developed difficulties around the greens, and that frailty proved to be his undoing again, notably when making a mess of a chip from off the green at the par-5 No. 9.
Lawrence was emotional and empathetic when his victory was confirmed. “It means a lot. There’s been a lot of hard work,” he said, noting that he made only one cut, a T62 at the PGA Championship, in three starts during a recent stretch in America. “This game is not easy, so it was a real boost today, and I really gave it my all. I feel sorry for Joost because I know how tough this game is.
“I don’t know why I’m so emotional, but obviously it just shows that it means the world, and to get my fourth victory in Germany is unbelievable.”
Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino, New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, Germany’s Maximilian Kieffer and Poland’s Adrian Meronk shared third on 11-under. The latter continues to impress. In his last 10 starts on the DP World Tour, Meronk has finished in the top 10 seven times, with two wins. He ranks fourth in the Race to Dubai and is not so much nudging Luke Donald with regard to earning a Ryder Cup debut in Rome in September as playfully pushing the captain toward the River Tiber.
Matt Cooper