Pontefract golf ace Daniel Gavins wins DP Golf tour Ras Al Khaimah Championship in dramatic finish

Gavins – who made a huge breakthrough when he stepped off the European Challenge Tour to win the ISPS Handa World Invitational event, in Ballymena, Ireland, in 2021 – has steadily made progress in the higher European rankings in the last year and is now a double tour winner after his dramatic one shot success at the Al Hamra Golf Club, in the UAE.

But in an incredible finish the Pontefract golfer looked to have blown a two shot lead going down the last hole only to make a fantastic putt to seal his big victory.

Gavins began the 18th with a two-shot lead over Alexander Bjork, but sent his drive into the water. He recovered with a better second drive only to hit that ball in the water when trying to find the green with his next shot, a fairway wood.

He had chosen not to lay up as he was unaware that up ahead Bjork had three-putted from long range for a closing bogey.

That meant the pressure was on again, but after taking a penalty drop and chipping the ball to 25 feet away Gavins then rolled in a brilliant long range putt to seal a most dramatic of victories.

Although the 31-year-old had recorded a double bogey seven on the last he had done enough to be crowned winner, finishing his four rounds on 17 under par to be one shot ahead of Bjork and Zander Lombard, who had started the final day ahead.

After his thrilling victory Gavins said: "I am pretty speechless. I put two in the water and thought 'that's one way to end the tournament'.

"I have been struggling off the tee for the last two weeks, I've been battling and it was a difficult hole to go through. Fortunately I holed out! I thought I was holing it for a play-off. I didn't realise Bjork had made bogey.

"When I sunk the putt and then went to the back of the green and saw that I was actually winning still, it was kind of a big shock.

"I was pretty relaxed all day even though my swing off the tee wasn't great. I obviously felt it a lot on the 18th but other than that it was pretty calm."

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Gavins enjoyed an excellent week of putting, including another superb effort in a final round that saw him initially come from behind, take the lead, lose it then gain it again.

It did not start well when after two rounds of 68 and one of 66 Gavins dropped a shot on the first hole, but he bounced back superbly when holing a monster 40-footer on the second then followed up with four more successive birdies.

Another birdie on the eighth saw him open up a three-stroke advantage over Bjork, Matthieu Pavon and Lombard.

The progress was halted by a dropped shot on the ninth and when another shot went at 12 Gavins was tied with Bjork at the top of the leaderboard.

Again he responded brilliantly with birdies at 14 and 15 to take the two-stroke advantage held on the 18th tee.

Lombard had held a one-shot lead over Rasmus Hojgaard going into the final round, with Gavins two shots back at 14 under.