Marco Penge stepped up to the task on Sunday, producing a calm and clinical final round to win his maiden DP World Tour title at the Hainan Classic.

Beginning the day tied at the lead, Penge faltered early with a bogey on the third, but exhibited genuine grit, hitting back with birdies on the 6th, 7th, and 9th to reach 2-under at the turn. Thereafter, he remained ice-cold under pressure, registering four more birdies on the back nine to finish with an exemplary 5-under 67.

As challengers Kristoffer Reitan and Sean Crocker made their bids, equalling Penge’s 67s, they could not break his composure. Again and again, Penge replied to every challenge with accurate iron play and solid putting.

The Blackstone Course asked for everything imagination, patience, and guts. Penge possessed them all, surviving a strong field that featured impressive rallies by Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Martin Couvra.