Matt Fitzpatrick makes it back-to-back wins in the mountains

Englishman saw off Lucas Bjerregaard with a birdie on the first playoff hole in Crans


Matt Fitzpatrick has no issues with being left out of the Ryder Cup, despite winning the Omega European Masters title in Switzerland.

The Englishman claimed a play-off victory over Lucas Bjerregaard to become the first man since Seve Ballesteros in 1978 to defend the crown in the week where he missed out on a captain's pick for this month's match play competition.

European skipper Thomas Bjorn chose to go with experience for his four wild cards, picking Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia, meaning Fitzpatrick will have to wait to add to his 2016 appearance.

The 24-year-old accepts he has not played well enough to warrant a call.

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Asked if he had any regrets at missing out, he told Sky Sports: “Not at all, genuinely I don’t.

“I didn’t play well enough this summer, it’s as simple as that.

“I don’t hold anything against Thomas for not picking me, I completely understand why he has gone for experience, it is vital in Ryder Cups.

“This is what I wanted to achieve this season — another win. To get it here is so special and to get my fifth is amazing.”

Fitzpatrick had to work hard for his repeat success in the Swiss Alps, though, as he needed to birdie the final hole to force a play-off — despite coming into the final round with a two-shot lead.

Two early bogeys did not help, but it was mainly the form of Bjerregaard that made it a difficult afternoon.

The Dane fired a blemish-free seven-under-par 63 to come through the pack and have the clubhouse lead.

Fitzpatrick hustled on the back nine and three birdies — including the one at the 18th — sent it to an extra hole, where he sent in a 10-footer for victory.

“It was really tough, of all of my wins this was the most difficult,” he added.

“I didn’t have my A-game today. I just didn’t play my best, I managed to grind it out, made some crucial birdies coming in. I am delighted, this is one of my best.

“I feel I am playing way better now than I was this time last year. I can’t say how happy I am.”

Collated scores and totals from the Omega European Masters, Crans-sur-Sierre GC, Crans Montana, Switzerland (Britain & Irl unless stated, par 70):

263 Matthew Fitzpatrick 69 64 63 67 (Won on first playoff hole), Lucas Bjerregaard(Den)68 65 67 63

265 Mike Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 68 66 64 67

268 Nacho Elvira (Spa) 66 69 67 66

269 Daniel Brooks 69 67 64 69

270 Ashun Wu (Chn) 70 65 65 70, Hideto Tanihara (Jpn) 65 66 71 68

271 Phachara Khongwatmai (Tha) 68 71 68 64, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 67 69 68 67, Doug Ghim(USA)68 65 67 71, Darren Fichardt (Rsa) 68 71 68 64

273 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 65 70 69 69, Jeunghun Wang (Kor) 71 68 70 64, Gavin Green(Mal)69 69 63 72, Lee Westwood 68 69 66 70

274 Laurie Canter 68 69 72 65, Haydn Porteous (Rsa) 69 65 66 74, Richard McEvoy 72 67 68 67, Fabrizio Zanotti(Par) 69 70 69 66, Callum Shinkwin 69 69 70 66, Nino Bertasio (Ita) 70 67 65 72, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 67 72 68 67

275 Chris Wood 68 70 71 66, Stephen Gallacher 68 66 70 71, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa) 71 68 69 67, David Horsey 70 69 69 67, Nicolas Colsaerts(Bel) 71 66 73 65, Julien Guerrier (Fra) 65 71 73 66, Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 70 67 71 67

276 Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 68 67 66 75, Andy Sullivan 65 72 68 71, David Drysdale 66 70 72 68, Ryan Fox (Nzl) 67 69 72 68, Matthew Southgate 69 67 69 71

277 Andrew Johnston 68 69 71 69, Chase Koepka (USA) 71 65 69 72, Maximilian Kieffer(Ger)64 71 73 69, David Lipsky(USA) 68 70 66 73, Justin Walters (Rsa) 66 71 72 68, Erik Van Rooyen (Rsa) 66 71 67 73, George Coetzee (Rsa) 69 70 69 69, Scott Jamieson 69 68 72 68

278 Romain Wattel (Fra) 69 67 72 70, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 69 67 71 71

279 S.S.P Chawrasia (Ind) 69 66 71 73, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha) 71 67 70 71, Scott Hend(Aus) 70 69 70 70, Andres Romero (Arg) 72 67 70 70, Austin Connelly (Can) 70 69 68 72, Mikko Korhonen(Fin)69 70 72 68

280 Matt Wallace 68 69 69 74, Lee Slattery 68 71 70 71, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 70 68 73 69, Gregory Havret (Fra) 69 70 74 67

282 Jorge Campillo (Spa) 74 65 68 75

283 Marcus Kinhult (Swe) 70 69 73 71, James Morrison 70 69 70 74, Alexander Levy (Fra) 67 68 77 71

284 Ross Fisher 70 69 75 70, Matthieu Pavon (Fra) 67 71 70 76, Danny Willett 68 66 79 71, Jaco Van Zyl (Rsa) 71 68 78 67, Pedro Oriol (Spa) 72 66 71 75

285 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 71 68 74 72

288 Adrien Saddier (Fra) 74 65 77 72

289 Robert Karlsson (Swe) 69 69 79 72, Josh Geary (Nzl) 68 70 81 70