Brett Rumford’s perfect chip-in to win the Omega European Masters on the first extra hole of a sudden-death play-off at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, Switzerland, has been voted The European Tour Shot of the Month for September.
The Australian, widely recognised as one of the finest short game exponents on The European Tour, finished the regulation 72 holes tied with England’s Phillip Archer on 16 under par 268.
Returning to the 18th hole, both players missed the green with their approaches but Rumford, faced with a delicate 30 foot chip, played an exquisite shot which rolled into the middle of the cup for a birdie. Archer’s attempt narrowly missed and Rumford was crowned ‘King of the Mountains’ by claiming his third European Tour title and first in over three years.
“All the work I have put in pays off in moments like that chip,” said Rumford. “You are just suspended there for that brief second in anticipation and there is nothing going through your mind but ‘get in’! It was tracking all the way and I thought it was coming up short but the breeze took it in. My short game pulled me through that week.”
That chip earned Rumford The European Tour Shot of the Month Award for September ahead of Lee Westwood’s magnificent second shot to the 17th in The Quinn Direct British Masters at The Belfry.
Frenchman Gregory Havret claimed third place in the September Shot of the Month competition for his hole-in-one at the Seve Trophy at The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort, Killenard, Ireland.
The European Tour Shot of the Month Award is presented to a Tour Member for the shot judged to be the most outstanding during each calendar month on The European Tour International Schedule.
Previous winners so far this year have been: Retief Goosen of South Africa (January), Mikko Ilonen of Finland (February and August), South Africans Anton Haig (March) and Charl Schwartzel (April), Justin Rose of England (May), Argentina’s Angel Cabrera (June) and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington (July). The winning shots from each month are entered towards The European Tour Shot of the Year.
