Calum Hill completes back-to-back European Tour wins for Scots

Just seven days after he was the first on the scene to congratulate compatriot Grant Forrest on making his European Tour breakthrough, Calum Hill is a first-time winner, too.

The 26-year-old Fifer staged a stunning final round fightback to win the Cazoo Classic at the London Club.

The Scotsman went out in the final group on Sunday for the second week in a row but trailed by two at the turn as a host of European Tour winners battled it out to take the title in Kent.

There was a four-way tie for the lead at one point on the back nine but Hill came home in 33 to sign for a 67 and finish at 16-under, a shot clear of Frenchman Alexander Levy.

• Fowler dejected as season ends early

• Major changes coming to world rankings

English duo Richard Bland and Callum Shinkwin, Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Dane Rasmus Højgaard finished at 14-under, a shot ahead of Dutchman Lars van Meijel.

Hill lost out to countryman Grant Forrest at last week’s Hero Open but got over the line in Ash to make it back to back Scottish winners on the European Tour for the first time since August 2012.

He has long been tipped for a European Tour win after making the cut on his US Open Championship debut in 2018 and winning a maiden European Challenge Tour title in the same season.

A brace of Challenge Tour wins followed in 2019 as he finished second on the Road to Mallorca and after claiming seven top tens in his first 42 European Tour events, he now has a victory.

• Work to begin on R&A’s new Glasgow facility

“It’s brilliant, I’m delighted,” he said. “Happy with how I managed to play my last 11 holes and really proud of what I managed to do.

“I managed to manage my emotions pretty well and stay in each shot and not get ahead of myself. I definitely felt the pressure but managed to keep control of it.

• LPGA star calls for slow play crackdown

“I wasn’t really chasing a number, it felt like I was doing everything well today but at the start of the day my putts just weren’t dropping and then that changed on the back nine.

“This is the start and hopefully I can keep pushing on from here and see where I can take it.”