Elvira’s fairytale crumbles at the last to hand Spaun PGA Championship title

World No 294 lets victory slip in agonising fashion JJ Spaun triumphs by two shots at Wentworth We will come to JJ Spaun and Jeremy Clarkson later. Only those without an ounce of compassion in their body could feel no sympathy for Manuel Elvira.

The Spaniard, without a professional win to his name, stood on the 18th fairway at Wentworth’s West Course with one of golf’s most extraordinary stories in his grasp. Having just eagled the 71st hole and found the short grass on the friendly par five, the 30-year-old who began tournament week as the world’s 294th ranked player knew a birdie would seal the PGA Championship title. A par would force Spaun into a playoff. What happened next was a form of sporting torture rather than the realisation of a fairytale. Elvira pulled his layup…