MCB Tour Championship 2024: And that makes two for Peter Baker!

Peter Baker became just the second golfer to win the MCB Tour Championship in back-to-back years following a dramatic final round and a sensational three-hole play-off on the Legend Course at Constance Belle Mare Plage. The Englishman made birdie at the 18th hole four times in a row, once in regulation then three times in extra holes, to defeat his fellow countryman Simon Griffiths.

Baker had grabbed the tournament lead with a stunning second round of 62 but midway through the front nine on Sunday there was a four-way tie for the lead featuring Baker, Griffiths, Robert Coles (England) and the South African Keith Horne.

It was Griffiths who emerged as the leading challenger to the defending champion. He completed a final round of 65 to set a clubhouse target of 16-under 200. Horne, his compatriot James Kingston, the Scot Greig Hutcheon and the Spaniard Carl Suneson all shared third on 13-under.

Only Baker could equal the total set by Griffiths but he needed to break par at both the par-3 17th and the par-5 18th holes to do so. Like a true champion, he did just that to set up the play-off finale.

Both players missed the green with their approaches on the first extra hole, but still made birdie-4s. Baker repeated that trick at the second time of asking while Griffiths played a superb second to give himself a look at an eagle-3 from just eight feet. However he missed it and failed to break par when they replayed the hole for a third time. Baker made yet another birdie to claim the glory.

“I’m absolutely delighted to do it here in Mauritius, this great place,” Baker said. “I’m really proud to be the champion.”

The tournament also completed the 2024 Legend Tour season. The Brazilian Adilson Da Silva finished the tournament in a share of seventh, a result that confirmed him as the winner of the 2024 MCB Race to Mauritius and the John Jacobs Trophy, awarded to the number one ranked player in the seasonal rankings.

“It’s such a prestigious trophy to win,” he said. “I’ve finished runner-up twice and sometimes you start to think it’s not going to happen. It’s amazing when it pays off.”

Griffiths had a significant consolation because he had already wrapped up the Barry Lane Rookie of the Year title, named after the popular Englishman who won the MCB Tour Championship in 2016 and was the runner-up in both 2012 and 2014.

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