Oliver Wilson has suffered more near misses than most in his quest for a first European Tour title. Here we chart his long list of disappointments
Gallery: Oliver Wilson's near misses
Oliver Wilson’s long wait for a European Tour victory came to an end on Sunday. He had an amazing nine second-place finishes before beating all the odds to break his duck at St Andrews.
Here, we document his long list of near misses from second place at the 2005 China Open through to a runner-up spot at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2009.
Wilson’s first runner-up finish came at the Volvo China Open at the Shenzen Golf Club in 2005 where he lost out to Paul Casey in a playoff.
Another play-off defeat came in 2007 at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket, Thailand. South African Anton Haig beat compatriot Richard Sterne and Wilson to take the title.
His next near miss came later that year in Germany at the Deutsche Bank Players Championship of Europe where he tied for second behind Andres Romero.
Next that year came the South African Airways Open in Paarl where he missed out to home favourite James Kingston by one shot.
He must have started to hate the sight of South Africans after another, Hennie Otto, pipped him to the post at the MC Methorios Capital Italian Open in 2008.
His biggest disappointment to date came at the BMW PGA Championship in 2008 where Miguel Angel Jimenez took the title on the second play-off hole.
It was back to China for his next near miss at the 2008 Volvo China Open where Damien McGrane took the spoils.
Another trip to China and another play-off defeat. This time to Sergio Garcia in the 2008 HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
His last runner-up spot came at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2009 where he lost out to Simon Dyson. No one could have foreseen the slump in form that was to follow.
Five years on and Wilson finally put his second place jinx to bed with his stunning victory at St Andrews.
