Second straight runner-up showing on DP World Tour has former CU golfer Yannik Paul surging up World Golf Rankings
By Gary Baines – 2/26/2023
It seems like not very long ago — the middle of 2021, to be precise — when Yannik Paul found himself No. 968 in the World Golf Rankings.
In another sense, though, that seems like an eternity ago for the former University of Colorado golfer.
Coming off a victory on the DP World Tour in October and a runner-up performance last week in Thailand, the German nearly pulled off a win Sunday at the Hero Indian Open in New Delhi. But a 15-foot birdie attempt that would have forced a playoff just slipped by the right edge of the 18th hole.
And when fellow German Marcel Siem drained a 3 1/2-foot par putt after barely clearing the water with his third shot from the deep rough on the par-5, the 42-year-old emerged with a one-stroke victory. It was Siem’s first win on the DP World Tour in more than eight years — and fifth overall.
Paul came into the week a career-best No. 119 in the World Golf Rankings, and no doubt will make another significant jump after the second of back-to-back runner-up showings. (Feb. 27 Update: Paul moved up to No. 109 in the rankings.)
Moreover, the former Buff ascended to No. 9 on the season-long DP World Tour standings.
Paul, who led by five after 36 holes in India, went bogey-free for the final 20 holes on the demanding DLF Golf and Country Club, closing with a 2-under-par 70, which left him at 13 under for the week.
But after a two-stroke swing in Paul’s favor on the 13th hole — where he made a 5-foot birdie — the two Germans were tied for the lead. On 15, however, Siem went ahead for good with a 12-foot birdie putt.
After both players missed relatively short birdie attempts on 17 — Paul from 11 feet and Siem from 8 — the latter came to the par-5 18th with a one-stroke advantage. Both players laid up as the green is well guarded by water. But Siem left his second in very thick rough, and narrowly flew his third over the water and onto the front of the green, leaving him a difficult 35-foot try at birdie.
Siem, who had to regain his DP World Tour card through Q-school in the fall, left his putt 3 1/2 short, then Paul failed to convert his birdie attempt, leaving the elder German to save his par for the victory.
The runner-up showing was worth $219,473 to Paul, who until recently lived in Colorado part-time.
Paul won the Mallorca Golf Open in October for his first DP World Tour title. He subsequently was named one of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame’s Golf Persons of the Year for 2022.
Paul, who played for CU on and off from 2013-18, now owns four top-2 finishes on the DP World Tour in less than 10 months.
For all the scores from the Hero Indian Open, CLICK HERE.
About the Author: Gary Baines owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com