Alexander Bjork Wins Volvo China Open 2018

Alexander Bjork Wins Volvo China Open 2018

The 2018 Volvo China Open has been won by Sweden's Alexander Bjork. Bjork's final round 7-under par 65 gave him the lead over Spain’s Adrian Otaegui. This is 27 year old Bjork's first win on the European Tour.

Bjork began the Sunday round on the Ian Woosnam designed championship course at Beijing’s Topwin Golf and Country Club one shot behind Otaegui and Matt Wallace. He shot seven birdies to finish at 18-under, 270 for the tournament. His birdie on the first hole set him off to a good start, then one on the fourth and again on the eighth. Through the back nine he kept his steady pace, with birdies on 11, 12 and 15, where he took the lead from Jordan Smith who had powered forward. Rounding it off, Bjork's birdie on the 17th ensured his victory.

Otaegui ran into trouble on the 17th, with a three putt bogey. His birdie on the 18th stayed any further loss and he finished as clear second with 17-under 271, ahead of fellow Spaniard Jorge Campillo who tied on third with Wallace and Smith, both English golfers.

“It’s the final day and the pressure comes on and I still hit good shots on the way in," Bjork said afterwards. "I had a good feeling this morning, I was less nervous than I am before a big final round, I felt confident almost all the way. I guess it was meant to be today.

"I didn't look [at leaderboards] too much the first nine holes but from 12 I knew I was up in the lead, but then I saw a guy had finished on 16 under and I knew I needed to make birdies. That actually helped me to stay positive instead of playing safe.

"I just lost out in Hong Kong in the first tournament of the season with a bad finish and I was close last week [in the Hassan Trophy] so it was my turn today and I'm so happy for that."