BMW PGA Championship – final round

-17 JJ Spaun (US); -15 M Elvira (Spa), R McIlroy (NI), A Scott (Aus), A Rai (Eng)

Selected others:-14 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), R Fox (NZ); -13 R MacIntyre (Sco), M Wallace (Eng), A Sullivan (Eng); -12 A Noren (Swe), R Fisher (Eng); -11 S Lowry (Ire) A Fitzpatrick (Eng); -10 V Hovland (Nor), L Aberg (Swe), J Niemann (Chi), T Hatton (Eng)

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Golf can be a cruel game. As Spain’s Manuel Elvira choked back the tears on Sunday, just a short distance away an elated JJ Spaun celebrated becoming only the third player from the United States to win the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

The 2025 US Open champion joins Billy Horschel and the legendary Arnold Palmer on a storied list of winners that also includes Tony Jacklin, Sir Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Rory McIlroy.

However, it was hard not to feel sympathy for Elvira, the unknown 30-year-old from Santander.

Ranked 294th in the world, this had looked like being the moment he had longed for when he stepped on to the final tee with a first victory in his sights – straight off the back of outrageous eagle on the 17th.

Having twice made birdies on the friendly par five this week, a third was hardly implausible – while a par would have ensured a play-off with Spaun, already in the clubhouse at 17 under par.

Instead Elvira, who opted for an iron off the tee, found a fairway bunker when he took the conservative option to lay up.

To compound matters he then missed the green with his approach, almost finding the grandstand, and duffed his fourth into the sand after being given a free drop.

Once he escaped he took a further two putts, and his double-bogey seven finish deprived him of even ending the tournament in outright second place.

“[It was] devastating that I hit the wrong shot at the right time on the lay up and left myself the toughest shot in the fairway bunker, and wasn’t able to pull it off,” Elvira said.

“I’ve played some of the best golf probably of my life.”

While it was not at the level of Jean Van de Velde’s implosion at the 1999 Open Championship or, more recently, Jordan Spieth’s misadventures in the 2016 Masters – it nevertheless made for difficult viewing.

And his brother Ignacio – who had earlier finished in a tie for 44th – was left to console his younger sibling as they walked off the 18th green.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Europe Solheim Cup player Trish Johnson said: “It’s a truly awful feeling. No more than 20 minutes ago he’s got this huge dream.

“To watch that unfold on 18 was really, in golfing terms, quite tragic. What he has to remember is how he put himself in that position.

“In a big event like this the chances are we’ll never see him in that position to win this calibre of tournament ever again, and that’s very sad.”

As Elvira trudged away after ending on 15 under alongside major champions McIlroy, Adam Scott and Aaron Rai, which in any other circumstances could have been considered a triumph, Spaun was already rejoicing his first title outside of the US.

While that will earn him a hefty pay cheque of about £1.1m, he said his omission from the US Presidents Cup – a tournament where America face a rest-of-the-world team, excluding Europe – had been the driving force behind his success.

Spaun outlined that he had been given the news in a 45-second phone call, in which he was told he was the “odd man out”.

“I played with a huge chip on my shoulder. I definitely had something to prove this week but everything happens for a reason,” said Spaun, who carded a five-under 67 on Sunday, crucially including four birdies in the concluding five holes.

“My whole career, I’ve kind of had to do that. I wasn’t given scholarships. I had a walk-on. I had to earn my PGA Tour card the hard way. I was never given sponsor invite opportunities. I just had to do everything the hard way.

“Being left off the Presidents Cup team a couple weeks ago was very disappointing, and you know, I wanted to prove that I deserve to be on that team.”

One amusing aspect of Spaun’s round was seeing his wife Melody walking around the grounds of the famous Surrey club with a Jeremy Clarkson mask.

“We’ve grown fond of him – along with the English culture, we actually take holidays in December in the Cotswolds – and we really enjoy his show [Clarkson’s Farm],” Spaun added.

“I went to his pub, with the hopes of catching a glimpse of him, but he wasn’t around.

“My wife said we would have a surprise guest following me this week if I competed in the tournament and, sure enough, I see the face of Jeremy Clarkson and her holding it. Jeremy was there in spirit and I think he brought me good fortune.”

While Spaun’s putter ran hot, McIlroy made five birdies and a bogey on Sunday, in a round that also included four birdie misses from inside 10 feet.

The one consolation for the six-time major winner is that he made a huge dent in Patrick Reed’s lead in the Race to Dubai standings as he goes for a record-equalling eighth title.

“I’m excited. I have three events until the end of my DP World Tour season. I’m not sure what Patrick’s schedule looks like coming up, but I feel like I have enough opportunities,” McIlroy said.

“I’m excited for the opportunity, and it would be obviously amazing to match Monty’s record.”