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RAS AL KHAIMAH, United Arab Emirates — Alejandro del Rey, a golfer from Spain, celebrated his first title on the European Tour in an impressive manner by achieving a third consecutive round of 6-under 66, ultimately securing victory at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship by a four-stroke margin on Sunday.
Del Rey, currently ranked 308th, concluded the competition with an impressive score of 22-under par, marking his triumph in just his 70th event on the tour.
In a moment of excitement after making a par on the 18th hole to wrap up his final round, Del Rey was drenched in celebratory water as several compatriots rushed to congratulate him on the green.
His previous notable performance was a top-10 finish at the Singapore Classic in March of the prior year, where he placed seventh.
Reflecting on his journey, Del Rey shared, “Last year, there came a point where I felt I wasn’t enjoying my time on the golf course as much because finishing in the 20th or 30th place didn’t feel significant to me anymore.” He added, “I put in a lot of effort since then, as I didn’t want to remain in that situation for too long. I’ve played alongside many friends who have achieved success here, and I always believed I could do it despite the results not reflecting that.”
Over the weekend at Al Hamra Golf Club, Del Rey managed to finish without a single bogey.
Beginning the final round with a two-shot advantage, he quickly extended his lead to five strokes by sinking birdies at the first three holes and briefly had a six-shot cushion after scoring three consecutive birdies starting at hole 11. He maintained his composure, playing par golf for the remainder of the round to secure his win, comfortably distancing himself from second-place Marcus Armitage, who had led after the initial two rounds.
Armitage, representing England, finished the week with a score of 18 under par after shooting 68, while Spanish golfer David Puig ended in third place with a score of 15 under after a 65.
Del Rey expressed his gratitude for the win, stating, “I’m just thankful, and I’m incredibly happy that this finally happened. I’ve always believed I excel at closing out golf tournaments. Today felt wonderful; it came to me naturally and easily.”
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