Thomas Gögele edged a tense final day battle with Bradley Dredge to win Legends Tour’s Senior Italian Open with a superb 54-hole total of -19 after scores of 64, 66 and 67.
The 53-year-old German had a one-shot lead over Dredge heading into the final 18 holes at San Domenico, and it quickly became a two-horse race as Gögele made two birdies and the Welshman picked up three in the first six holes to be locked together on -16.
Both players birdied the 8th and 10th but they were finally separated when Dredge dropped a shot on the 14th.
Gögele doubled his lead to two shots with a birdie at the par-5 16th and Dredge’s three-putt bogey from long range at the par-3 17th gave him a much more comfortable three-shot advantage going up the final hole.
The German made a brilliant up-and-down to go bogey-free over the last two rounds and complete a three-shot win.
Dredge signed for a 69 to finish alone in second on -16 and climb to 13th in the season’s ranking.
Gögele, whose only previous professional victory came on the Challenge Tour almost 30 years ago, had been showing signs of a breakthrough victory with consistently strong performances all year, and this week completed an excellent run of form that featured three top-15s following a third-placed finish in India.
“It’s amazing,” said the champion, who had his wife Nicole on caddy duties this week. “It was a close battle with Bradley – he’s a very good player – but I came out on top, and that’s fantastic.
“It was great to have Nicole alongside me for my first senior win. I pretty much always play well when she’s on the bag – so it was fitting that I win one with her. It’s a great moment for us.”
For all the scores from the Sergio Melpignano Senior Italian Open, click here