Cañizares wraps up title at Trophée Hassan II

Alejandro Cañizares completed a comprehensive wire-to-wire victory Sunday at the Trophée Hassan II to end an eight-year wait for a second European Tour title.
Just as Marcel Siem did 12 months ago at Golf du Palais Royal, Cañizares led from the off with an opening 62 and completed a seven-shot win with a closing round of 68.
That gave the Spaniard a 21 under par total in Agadir, with England’s Andy Sullivan storming home in 29 shots for a best-of-the-day 63 to claim second place.
Cañizares won on only his third European Tour start at the 2006 Russian Open, but has had to wait 199 events for win number two – during which time he has been a runner-up four times.
Victory completes an excellent six months for the 31 year old, who has not missed a cut since September. That run that now stretches to 16 tournaments and includes three other top-ten finishes.
Cañizares would have won by a greater margin if not for a piece of bad luck on the 18th, where his approach rolled back off the green and came to rest up against a clump of turf from a divot that had not been properly replaced.
The world No. 141 was told by a referee he was not allowed to move the turf and could only advance the ball a few yards with his third shot before it again rolled back down the slope almost to his feet.
From there he duffed his next pitch but at least allowed himself a wry smile before eventually getting up and down for a double-bogey six.
England’s Seve Benson birdied the 18th to claim a share of third place on 12 under with Sweden’s Magnus A Carlsson, who had completed a 68 by holing from off the green on the last for par after a left-handed escape shot from the trees.

English teen Hull captures 1st pro title
Meantime, Charley Hull of England closed with a 9-under 62 and won a playoff on the first extra hole on the Ladies European Tour for her first professional victory one week before her 18th birthday.
The win in the Lalla Meryem Cup completed an amazing year for the English teenager. She had five runner-up finishes, became the youngest member of Europe’s winning Solheim Cup team and was rookie of the year on the tour.
Hull rallied from five shots behind against Gwladys Nocera of France in the final round at Golf de l’Ocean here.
Nocera three-putted the par-3 18th for bogey and a 67 that allowed for a playoff. Returning to the 18th, Hull hit a tee shot to 4 feet for birdie. Nocera missed her birdie attempt from 15 feet.