Rafael Cabrera-Bello wins Austrian Golf Open

Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain fired an incredible final round of 60 to win the Austrian Golf Open at Fontana GC in Vienna by a single stroke from England’s Benn Barham.

Cabrera-Bello began the last round eight shots off the lead, but he blistered round the Doug Carrick designed layout at Fontana to record an 11-under-par closing round, equalling the lowest ever score on the European Tour. The 25-year-old even had a putt for a 59 on the last green.

“It's just amazing - I played the best golf of my life and I can't believe it,” he said. “I was so far back I wasn't thinking about winning. I just tried to play a shot at a time and today it worked out really, really good.”

The Spaniard made his move with four consecutive birdies from the 8th to the 11th then consolidated with four more at the 13th, 14th, 16th and 18th.

With the win Cabrera-Bello climbed to 46th in the Race to Dubai and has moved into the top-10 on the Ryder Cup rankings.

Benn Barham who began the day three clear of Soren Hansen did little wrong over his closing round as he recorded a two-under-par 69. Had it not been for Cabrera-Bello’s incredible play, the Kent golfer would have secured his first tour victory. “I’m very happy with the way I played this week, obviously disappointed to finish second,” said Barham. “It’s very hard to take.” Soren Hansen of Denmark finished in third place for the second successive week and England’s Richard Bland was fourth.

Austrian Golf Open Fontana GC, Vienna, Austria Sep 17-20, purse €1,000,000, par 71

1    Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 71 67    66    60    264    €166,660     2    Benn Barham (Eng)    63    66    67    69    265    €111,110     3    Soren Hansen (Den)    67    67    65    68    267    €62,600 4    Richard Bland (Eng)    68    70    65    66    269    €50,000 5    Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)    69    67    65    69    270    €42,400 T6    Seve Benson (Eng)    69    68    68    66    271    €28,100 T6    Richard Green (Aus)    65    66    69    71    271    €28,100 T6    Pablo Martin (Esp)    66    68    70    67    271    €28,100 T6    Simon Wakefield (Eng)    68    70    67    66    271    €28,100 T10    David Dixon (Eng)    68    67    71    66    272    €17,925 T10    Pelle Edberg (Swe)    68    65    71    68    272    €17,925     T10    David Horsey (Eng)    67    67    71    67    272    €17,925 T10    Damien McGrane (Irl)    71    67    67    67    272    €17,925

Player scores listed in bold signifies Titleist ball usage only