JJ Spaun claimed a two-stroke victory at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday after Spain's Manuel Elvira suffered a dramatic final-hole double-bogey.
The 36-year-old American finished at 17 under par following a final-round 67, taking his maiden title at the flagship DP World Tour event as Elvira stumbled on the 18th green.
Elvira had pulled level with Spaun at 17 under after carding an eagle on the 17th hole, but his title hopes unraveled on the par-five finisher. Needing a birdie to secure his first tour win, the Spaniard drove into a fairway bunker, sent his recovery well past the green, and chipped into another bunker before holing out for a double-bogey six.
The triumph marks one of the biggest achievements of Spaun's career on European soil. The BMW PGA Championship is held annually at the Wentworth Club in Surrey, England, serving as the jewel in the crown of the DP World Tour calendar and drawing many of the top players in world golf.
Final hole heartbreak for Elvira
Elvira, ranked 294th in the Official World Golf Rankings, had pushed the leaders throughout the final afternoon. His closing double-bogey dropped him into a four-way tie for second place at 15 under par alongside Rory McIlroy, Aaron Rai, and Adam Scott, capping a day in which 13 players finished within three shots of the lead.
The Spaniard crouched down in frustration after missing his first putt on the 18th hole, cutting a shattered figure on the green. Despite the agonizing finish, Elvira expressed pride in his performance across the week.
"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 I wasn't able to pull it off," Elvira said of his final hole stumble.
"I've played some of the best golf, probably, of my life," he added. "I was in contention and I wasn't really that nervous. It's been a great week and I'm really glad for it."
The DP World Tour, formerly known as the European Tour, features elite global tournaments leading up to the season-ending play-offs. For Elvira, contending at Wentworth represents a breakthrough performance on one of the tour's most demanding courses.
Spaun proves point after Presidents Cup omission
Spaun entered the final round determined to prove a point after being left off captain Brandt Snedeker's Team USA squad for the upcoming Presidents Cup. The 2025 US Open champion recovered from an early bogey on the first hole to card six birdies in a composed performance.
Spaun revealed that his exclusion from the American team provided extra drive throughout the tournament in Surrey.
"We haven't spoken," Spaun said regarding captain Brandt Snedeker. "But yeah, I played with a huge chip on my shoulder."
"I'm so delighted to be here and just play this event," Spaun added. "I've always wanted to do this. The extra motivation, I think that is the willpower that you kind of have, determination."
"Being left off the Presidents Cup team a couple of weeks ago was very disappointing and I wanted to prove that I deserved to be on that team," he continued. "I took care of my business this week, so all the best to my mates next week at Medinah, but I'll be on the couch watching."
The Presidents Cup is a biennial match-play contest pitting a 12-man Team USA against an International team representing the rest of the world outside Europe. Snedeker leads the American side as team captain this year as they prepare to compete in Illinois.
McIlroy surge falls short alongside Rai and Scott
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy also shared second place at 15 under after posting a final-round 68. McIlroy mixed moments of brilliance with critical errors on the greens, struggling to make birdie putts during his front nine.
McIlroy sparked a back-nine surge on the 12th hole, where he found trouble off the tee before producing a spectacular recovery shot around a cluster of trees to set up a birdie. He added further birdies on the 14th and 17th holes before finding a fairway bunker on the 18th and missing a final birdie attempt.
"I wish I had some of those putts back," McIlroy said of his putting struggles.
"But I have to be encouraged with where my game is at," he added. "Hit the ball really well. Hit the best I hit it during the course of the week and am encouraged with the signs that my game is going and just have to keep working at it."
McIlroy, a four-time major winner and former BMW PGA Championship winner, has long been one of the most successful competitors at Wentworth. His late charge highlighted a crowded leaderboard that saw England's Aaron Rai take the early clubhouse lead with a 66 after sharing the lead after round one.
Australia's Adam Scott joined McIlroy, Rai, and Elvira at 15 under. Open champion Ryan Fox, England's Matt Fitzpatrick, Netherlands' Joost Luiten, and Italy's Filippo Celli finished tied for sixth place at 14 under par.
Presidents Cup and Open de France up next
The DP World Tour heads next to France for the FedEx Open de France, which begins on Thursday at Le Golf National. The course near Paris previously hosted Europe's 2018 Ryder Cup victory over Team USA.
At the same time, Team USA will begin their defense of the Presidents Cup against the International Team at Medinah Country Club in Illinois, seeking a record-extending 11th consecutive victory in the event.
Television coverage for the Open de France starts Thursday at 12:30pm on Sky Sports Golf, followed by live Presidents Cup coverage from 5:30pm.
