European Open 2016: Final Leaderboard Scores, Prize Money Payouts
Alexander Levy won the 2016 European Open, but only after surviving a playoff against Ross Fisher, after both players finished 19 under par in Bad Griesbach, Germany on Sunday. Levy had a healthy advantage at the start of the day, but a pair of bogeys late on the back nine let Fisher close the gap.
There was still high drama, though, when Fisher couldn't sink a birdie putt to win it. A playoff unfolded, and Levy triumphed at the second hole.
Levy thought he had overcome a nightmare start featuring three bogeys over the first four holes. However, things came unstuck again when he hit a fourth bogey, this one at the 16th. A disastrous approach shot on the par-four 18 appeared to have doomed Levy.
By contrast, Fisher got better the deeper he went along the course. He sank a pair of birdies over the final four holes but couldn't manage one on the 18th, with his putt going agonisingly close.
It means Levy claims the €333,330 (£288,644) prize money.
Here's what the final leaderboard looks like:
| Position | Player | To Par | Sunday Score | Overall |
| T1 | Alexander Levy | -19 | 64 | 194 |
| T1 | Ross Fisher | -19 | 69 | 194 |
| T3 | Robert Karlsson | -16 | 65 | 197 |
| T3 | Michael Jonzon | -16 | 68 | 197 |
| 5 | Bernd Wiesberger | -15 | 67 | 198 |
| 6 | Martin Kaymer | -14 | 68 | 199 |
| T7 | Gregory Havret | -13 | 65 | 200 |
| T7 | Richard Bland | -13 | 66 | 200 |
| T7 | Eduardo de la Riva | -13 | 66 | 200 |
| T7 | Matthew Southgate | -13 | 67 | 200 |
EuropeanTour.com
For a full list of the prize money, go to GolfAndCourse.com.
All scorecard information from the European Tour official site.
Fisher began the day five shots shy of Levy, the leader after two rounds. But the former started the third round with some prolific scoring to help close the gap.
Fisher closed out the front nine with consecutive birdies. The Englishman was just three shots off the lead after the 14th hole. A birdie at the par-four 15 kept Fisher in touch.
However, he turned up the heat when he dropped in a long birdie on the par-four 16. The European Tour official site relayed highlights of this crucial putt:
The tide had turned once Levy slipped to a bogey on the 16th. It was a far cry from the Frenchman's earlier performance. Levy had been staying in front thanks to steady form on the back nine:
Levy's day had actually started badly when he was guilty of three bogeys over the first five holes. But he mixed in a pair of birdies, with this one on the par-three second standing out:
The Frenchman also birdied the par-five 10th and 12th before sinking another birdie on the par-three 14th. Yet, events at the 16th meant Levy's lead had become a slender one.
Still only one shot separated Levy and Fisher on the way to the par-four 18th. Things got worse when Levy's approach shot to the green went way off target, unlike Fisher's steady effort:
This snap shows how much trouble Levy was in after two shots on the final hole:
But he received a reprieve when Fisher dragged his birdie putt inches too long. He had to settle for par, giving Levy back the initiative.
The leader at the start of the day duly took it. A bogey putt was enough for him to force the playoff:
Fisher had been unlucky, but he did get the honour of going first in the playoff, a possible sign his luck was turning. Yet, his tee shot was a poor one, making life difficult for the Englishman.
Still, the two players traded pars on the first playoff hole. But Levy went one better on the second extra hole to finally settle things:
Fisher offered his congratulations to the victor on social media:
Levy wasn't the only player to overcome a sluggish start. Surprise package Michael Jonzon had second place all to himself after two rounds, but a run of three straight bogeys on the front nine sent him tumbling down the leaderboard.
A hat-trick of birdies over the first five holes of the back nine helped Jonzon stage a brief recovery. Another birdie, this one at the 15th, got him back on track.
A solid final round of 68 helped Jonzon share third place with fellow countryman Robert Karlsson.
Local player Martin Kaymer was another man who was trying to make his move. The German managed a quartet of birdies and 10 pars over the first 14 holes:
However, a bogey at the par-four 15th stunted Kaymer's progress. Pars at the 16th and 17th holes weren't enough to give Kaymer the push back up the board he needed. He finished five shots off the top at 14 under par.
By contrast, Levy got the breaks he needed late on. Overall, he did just enough to merit the victory after leading from day one.
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