The BMW PGA Championship produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the season on Sunday 20 September. JJ Spaun won by two shots at 17 under, while Spain’s Manuel Elvira, who had a chance to force a play-off, ran up a double bogey on the 18th. It was a reminder that the last few holes test decision-making as much as technique.
What happened at Wentworth
According to the Associated Press report on the PGA Tour site, Spaun made four birdies in his last five holes for a closing 67. It started with a tee shot to three feet on the par-3 14th, followed by two 15-foot birdie putts and a two-putt birdie on the closing par 5. It was his debut at the event and his second win of the year.
BBC Sport noted that he became only the third American to win the title at Wentworth, joining Billy Horschel and Arnold Palmer. Spaun said he had been driven by being left out of the US Presidents Cup team: “I played with a huge chip on my shoulder.”
Elvira, ranked 294th in the world according to the BBC, eagled the 17th to tie the lead. On the 18th he took an iron off the tee, laid up into a fairway bunker, went over the green with his next and finished with a seven. “Devastating that I hit the wrong shot at the right time on the lay up,” he said.
Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Aaron Rai shared second with Elvira. ESPN’s AP report added that McIlroy drove into a bunker on the last, had to lay up and missed an 8-foot birdie chance.
What we take from it
Strong finishes come from simple swings
Spaun’s closing stretch wasn’t about heroics. A short iron close, two putts holed from a makeable range, and a sensible birdie on a par 5. That’s the shape of most good finishes at every level: solid contact, no wasted shots.
For club golfers, the closing holes are where tempo tends to fall apart. Adrenaline and nerves speed everything up. The backswing gets shorter and quicker, the transition gets snatchy, and contact suffers. If you’ve ever hit a lovely front nine and then thinned three shots coming home, this will sound familiar.
The “safe” shot still needs a committed swing
Elvira’s lay-up is the part we keep coming back to. Laying up is often the right decision. But a lay-up is still a full shot, and it needs the same commitment as any other. We don’t know what was going through Elvira’s mind, but club golfers often make a tentative, half-hearted swing on the “safe” option, and that’s when the bunker or the rough comes into play.
There’s no shame in it. It happens to everyone, and Elvira’s honesty afterwards was admirable. The lesson is to treat every shot, including the conservative one, with a full routine.
Steady head, steady strike
Under pressure, many golfers either lift up or lunge at the ball. Both change the bottom of the swing. A steady head and a stable lower body give you the best chance of finding the ball first, even when your heart is racing.
A practice plan for better finishes
Here’s a short session you can run on the range or in the garden net:
Step 1: Simulate the last three holes
Pick three targets and play an imaginary 16th, 17th and 18th. Use your full routine on every shot. Score yourself honestly.
Step 2: Check your tempo when it “matters”
Before the session, make five normal swings and note your tempo score. Then, on the “closing holes”, make every swing as if it’s for the match. Compare the two. Many golfers find their tempo gets quicker when they care more.
Step 3: Practise your lay-up club
Most of us never practise the club we’d use to lay up. Hit five balls with it to a specific yardage, with a full, committed swing.
DE-SHANK can help with steps 2 and 3. Our voice coach talks you through each swing, while scores for tempo, head movement, hip sway and posture change appear on screen. You can see all of it in our features, including the email reports you can send to yourself or your coach.
DE-SHANK gives estimates from one camera view. It’s designed for practice feedback, to help you spot habits and track trends.
Our take
Spaun’s win was a reminder that a calm, repeatable swing is a big asset down the stretch, and Elvira’s finish showed how quickly a good week can turn on one decision. Neither is about talent. Both are about routine and commitment.
Catch up on more stories in our Golf News section.
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