Frittelli wins Mauritius Open with playoff birdie

It was a second European Tour win of the year for the 27-year-old, who will be chasing an end-of-year top 50 world ranking in next week’s Joburg Open in order to qualify for all next year’s major tournaments. He started the week in 67th.

Atwal, 44, had been top of the leaderboard from the start of the tournament, after carding a course-record 62 in Thursday’s first round and had a chance to win on the last hole on Sunday.

His eagle putt, however, lipped out forcing him to settle for a birdie and 68 for the round as he and Frittelli finished with a 16-under-par score of 268.

Frenchman Romain Langasque was third two shots back and Louis de Jager of South Africa fourth on a 13-under-par total of 271.

Former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen had earlier lit up the final round as he hit two eagles and a hat-trick of birdies.

His challenge, however, ended with a wayward shot which found trees on the 16th, leading to a triple-bogey seven. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)