American Brooks Koepka rallied to hold off the spirited challenge from Ryder Cup stalwart, Ian Poulter on Sunday, and won by one shot the Turkish Airlines Open by the Ministry of Youth and Sports,
The 24-year-old from Wellington, Florida, started the day in a tie for fifth place at 10-under, two shots from the overnight leader, Australian Wade Ornsby. But a very cool, calmed and collected Koepka, displayed brilliance as he fired a bogey-free round of seven-under 65 at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal Golf Course in Antalaya, Turkey on Sunday to take the win.
Koepka, who won three times on the Challenge Tour last year to gain instant promotion to The European Tour, carded four birdies on the front nine and holed from 40 feet for another on the 10th, before a brilliant approach to the 13th set up an eagle from just eight feet.
That gave him a two shot lead and although Poulter halved his deficit with his fifth birdie of the day on the same hole, the Ryder Cup star was unable to find another on the last despite a superb long greenside bunker shot.
Koepka finished his first European Tour victory at 17-under-par 271. His eagle at the 13th gave him the outright lead for the first time in the final round, and he held on from there. He finished one shot ahead of Poulter, who missed a birdie putt from six feet on the 18th to force a play-off.
Poulter, who led by six after two rounds, carded a 5-under 67 in the final round to end at 16-under. Seven different players had a piece of the lead at different points on the front nine at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal. The final nine was a mano-a-mano between Koepka and Poulter.
Koepka earned 1,666,600 euros for the win and could move to inside the top 35 of the Official World Golf Ranking from 61st. This is his fifth win as a professional, but his first on the European Tour on his 27th start on the Tour.
He becomes the 12th first-time winner this season on the European Tour and the second consecutive first time winner on this event after Frenchman Victor Dubuisson won it last year.
Koepka’s win ensured Rory McIlroy won The Race to Dubai for the second time in three years, and becomes the youngest ever to win the Vardon trophy twice.
Marcel Siem, Jamie Donaldson or Sergio Garcia had needed to win in Turkey and at next week's DP World Tour Championship, Dubai to have a chance of overtaking McIlroy. Although Siem started the final round just one shot off the lead, the BMW Masters winner could only muster a closing 71 to finish joint eighth, with Donaldson 19th and Garcia 25th.
Henrik Stenson, who won the Race to Dubai last year, fired an eight-under 64 for the low round of the day. He ended alone in third at 14-under 274. Golf’s Most Interesting Man and first-round leader Miguel Angel Jimenez (68), Andy Sullivan (67), Danny Willett (69) and overnight leader Ormsby (71) shared fourth place at 13-under 275.
Lee Westwood (71) was the player that shared eight pplace at 12-under 276 with Siem. Eddie Pepperell from England shot a 69 on Sunday and finished alone in 10th place.
The European Tour will be in Dubai next weekend for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, where Stenson cruised to a six-stroke win last year and earned the Race to Dubai Championship.