WOBURN, England: European Tour rookie Matt Fitzpatrick, the youngest player in the field, showed the old stagers a thing or two by easing to a two-stroke triumph at the $4.55 million British Masters on Sunday.

The 21-year-old was locked in an enthralling race for the title with Dane Soren Kjeldsen until the Englishman pressed the turbo-charge button on the back nine and accelerated away from the field to finish with a 68 and a 15-under total of 269.

Fitzpatrick, who had held the lead on his own or shared it all week, snared successive birdies at the 11th and 12th before rolling home a 20-foot birdie effort at the 15th and turning to the crowd to celebrate with a double fist-pump.

The former world amateur number one effectively sealed his maiden tour win with a laser-guided tee shot to three feet at the short 17th and could even afford the luxury of a dropped shot at the last on a sunny but cold autumnal day at Woburn.

Kjeldsen looked as if he would make Fitzpatrick fight all the way to the finish but his bid was undermined when he took three putts from 30 feet at the 15th and followed up by slicing his drive straight up against a tree at the next hole.

The Dane ended up with a 69 for 271 and had to settle for a share of second place with Ireland’s Shane Lowry (67) and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti (69).

Norris tames high winds to win in Taipei

Shaun Norris overcame swirling winds with a four-under-par 68 to win the weather-shortened Yeangder Tournament Players Championship by two shots on Sunday, pipping overnight leader Miguel Tabuena.

The 33-year-old Asian Tour rookie from South Africa shot five birdies in his opening seven holes and finished with a winning total of 12-under-par 204, after Friday’s second round was washed out by rain.

“I always joke with my family and friends that I play better in the worst conditions. I think it makes me concentrate more. I probably focus more,” said Norris.

“I only realized how the scoreboard looked after 17. I was a little bit nervous heading into 18.”

Norris overcame a three-shot deficit to beat Tabuena, who was again frustrated after he lost a play-off at the event in Taipei last year.

“How many times do I have to finish second? It is frustrating but I’m still happy with the way I played,” said the Filipino.

South Korea’s Kim Gi-Whan, Taiwan’s Hsu Hao-sheng of Chinese Taipei, Keith Horne of South Africa and Thai duo Panuphol Pittayarat and Natipong Srithong tied for third place.

Leading scores (par 72)

204 — Shaun Norris (RSA) 68-68-68

206 — Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 68-65-73

208 — Kim Gi-Whan (KOR) 69-71-68, Panuphol Pittayarat (THA) 68-71-69, Hsu Hao-sheng (TPE) 69-70-69, Keith Horne (RSA) 69-68-71, Natipong Srithong (THA) 70-65-73

209 — Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 70-69-70, Danny Chia (MAS) 71-67-71

210 — Wang Jeung-Hun (KOR) 72-68-70, Prom Meesawat (THA) 70-70-70, Berry Henson (USA) 70-70-70, Lu Wen-teh (TPE) 68-71-71, S. Chikka (IND) 73-65-72