English golfer Richard Mansell wins Porsche Singapore Classic for first DP World title

SINGAPORE – After sinking his birdie putt on the 18th green of Laguna National Golf Resort Club’s Classic Course, Richard Mansell let out a triumphant roar, pumped his fist and embraced his caddie, David Kenny.

With that final putt, the Englishman wrapped up his Porsche Singapore Classic campaign with a six-under 66 on March 23, sealing his first DP World Tour title with a 16-under 200 total, a stroke ahead of Japan’s Keita Nakajima (65).

His celebration was brief as flightmate Fabrizio Zanotti had yet to complete his round. But, standing on the edge of the green, Mansell was overcome with emotions, wiping away tears as Kenny placed a comforting arm over him.

It was clear how special the moment was to the 29-year-old, who finally earned his first win on the circuit on his 104th try.

“I’ve worked so hard for it, it’s been a lot of years and I’ve had chances before and failed quite a few times,” said Mansell, adding that the key was staying patient even though he wanted the title so badly after several near misses.

“I’ve just tried to shift my mindset so just to get the opportunity and hole the putt is special. It’s years and years of hard work and it’s been a dream for so long.”  

At the 2022 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, he had a four-shot lead going into Sunday, but a final-round 76 saw him drop to joint-seventh.

In the past two years, he also had six other top-10 finishes. 

Looking back on those close calls, world No. 243 Mansell said: “I probably should’ve just done what I was doing. But I went searching, tried to change.

“I became quite good at blaming other people why it hadn’t happened, I started not enjoying it as much and I just got a little bit lost.”

Frenchman Adrien Saddier and Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin finished joint-third on 202 after 68s.

Going into the final day, Mansell and the duo were among five players who were one shot behind overnight leader Dan Erickson.

The start of the final round was pushed back by 30 minutes owing to wet weather, which had resulted in the tournament being reduced to 54 holes after the first day was cancelled due to incessant rain.

The delay did little to frazzle Mansell though, as he fired five birdies in a row from holes No. 4 to 8, which gave him a two-stroke lead after the first nine.

But he picked up a bogey at the par-four 10th hole and found himself joined at the top by Nakajima.

However, Mansell regained the outright lead on the par-five 591-yard 13th hole, as he sunk a 15-foot putt after chipping in from the rough.

But Nakajima, who delivered a flawless round of 65, birdied the 18th hole to set up the possibility of a play-off.

Mansell knew what he had to do, remaining calm as he entered the tee box of the par-five 18th, even taking the time to give a golf ball to a young fan outside the ropes.

After his second shot found the edge of the green, his first putt from over 100 feet went within six feet of the hole and he made no mistake from there to spark the celebrations.

Mansell’s wife Ellie, who had been following him throughout the round, ran onto the green to embrace him.

She was not supposed to travel here as she is looking after their dog, but Mansell said he had a good feeling after finishing tied-11th and joint-sixth in Singapore in 2024 and 2023 respectively and asked her to accompany him.

“I’m so glad she was here to see the first one,” he said.

With the tournament having completed its third edition, the Singapore Classic’s executive championship director Patrick Bowers said that the intention was for the event to “continue forward and grow bigger and better”.

Commending the staff for keeping the course in pristine condition amid the monsoon surge, he said: “The agronomy team, the golf course maintenance team, was incredible, they sort of pulled off a miracle.

“They were prepared with everything from squeegees and pumps and extra manpower.

“Other clubs phoned us up and offered to help us, which is a very, a very nice thing... so that was lovely to see.”