Oliver Wilson wins ... finally

After 227 starts dating back nearly a decade on the European Tour, Englishman Oliver Wilson has finally got his hands on some silverware.

Despite a nervous start, the 34-year-old fought back to close out the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews with a two under 70, which was enough to elbow his way to a one-stroke win ahead of England’s Tommy Fleetwood, Scot Richie Ramsay and World No.1 Rory McIlroy.

Oliver Wilson takes a moment to let the fact he has won sink in. PHOTO: Getty Images

With a two-putt par at the final hole and the win assured, Wilson was a relieved and jubilant man, who got a start in this event as a sponsor’s invite. Ranked No.792 in the world and outside the top-100 on the money list of the Challenge Tour (Europe’s secondary tour), Wilson saw this start as an opportunity to resurrect his career and he grabbed that chance with both hands. Having banked €625,000 for his win, Wilson is now headed to Dubai for the Euro Tour season-ending championship.

Wilson, who represented Europe at the 2008 Ryder Cup and was a nine-time runner-up on the European Tour between 2006 and 2009, was at one stage entrenched on the top-50 of the world ranking.

But a dramatic loss of form saw him lose his card at the end of 2012, and he started the week at the Alfred Dunhill struggling to stay in the top-800 of the ranking.

"I can't believe I've done it...." Wilson's long wait is over. PHOTO: Getty Images

Wilson began the final round with a three-shot lead after taking command of the tournament with a 64 at Carnoustie in the first round. He then created a buffer between him and the field with a 65 at St Andrews in the third round.

Wilson, who had made around €20,000 in 19 tournaments on the Challenge Tour and European Tours this season, was joined in the lead by South African Louis Oosthuizen when he three-putted the 4^th hole for bogey.

He had to wait until the 10th his first birdie of the day, by which time Ramsay, Fleetwood and McIlroy were all alongside him on the leaderboard.

Further birdies at the 11^th and 16^th holes and Wilson had a one stroke lead playing the last and when playing partner Fleetwood missed his chance to tie with a birdie, Wilson could finally relax.

“I don’t have words for it. It’s been ten years, 11 years coming,” he said. “There were nine runners-up and I hadn’t done a whole lot to lose those, but nothing had really gone my way and this week, to be given a big opportunity by Dunhill to play – I can’t thank them enough to give me an opportunity to do this – I guess it’s what golf’s all about.

“Before I went out today I thought about how I’ve never gone out and won a tournament. I’ve played alright coming down the stretch and not lost it and other guys have just got over the line ahead of me and today I was just trying to be patient.

“I got off to a good start ball-striking wise but a couple of three-putts and you think ‘here we go’ but I stayed patient. The course was tricky with the wind, Rory was in front and I could keep an eye on what he was doing and Tommy was playing good as well.

“I played some great shots on the back nine, you feel like when you turn back into the wind that your opportunity has probably gone because it’s hard to make some birdies. I made a great save at 14 and the shot I hit into 16 was probably the best shot of my life. 17 was hard work and at the last Tommy had putted well and I thought he was going to make that.

Wilson and wife, Lauren, pose with some elusive silverware on the Swilcan Bridge. PHOTO: Getty Images

“When I came into the week I was almost just trying to make the cut! I got going and played good in practice and knew I was capable of putting a good tournament together but you’re never sure if it’s going to happen.  I’ve got good memories round here – I finished second a few years ago alongside Rory when Simon Dyson won – so I knew what I had to do and I stood up and hit some really good shots today. So my confidence from where it’s been the last few of years is in a very different place right now.

“I could be drunk for a while – I’ve had a lot of champagne on ice over the years!”

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