Dale Whitnell delivers maiden DP World Tour win with a three-shot victory at the Scandinavian Mixed

Dale Whitnell was a delivery driver in the not too distant past. By Sunday evening he had taken his place in the DP World Tour winner’s circle through less traveled roads.

Much of his 14-year professional career has been spent on distant satellite tours as the Englishman struggled to contain his emotions after justifying a three-shot victory at the Scandinavian Mixed.

“It’s been a long time,” said Whitnell, 34.

“I have so many people to thank — my fiancé Angie, my little dog, Craig, my coach I didn’t know flew out today, my mom and dad, Callaway, Travis Mathew, all my friends and family. It means everything to me.’

The details of how he got to this point are interesting. Once one of Britain’s brightest young talents, Whitnell was part of the same Walker Cup team as Tommy Fleetwood before turning professional in 2009.

But the grind of golf can be unforgiving and for the next decade he drifted around the fringe circuits, briefly acting as a courier to make ends meet. He only made the step to the DP World Tour in 2019 via Q School and his breakthrough in Sweden, after 106 tournaments, was quite eventful.

After working his way to an eight-stroke lead in a stage on Saturday, it was cut to just two when he found water on the 13th of his final lap. American Sean Crocker had made it a fight, but holed a 17-foot birdie putt on the 17th gave Whitnell plenty of breathing room to clinch the win. “It’s great,” Whitnell said.

‘I am ecstatic. It means everything to me, that’s what I get up for every day. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come. I’ve dreamed of this for a long time.’

While Whitnell celebrated in Europe, a strong British contingent pressed for success at the Canadian Open on the PGA Tour.

With the US Open kicking off Thursday, last week in Toronto provided quite a measure of form ahead of the season’s third major, especially at a time when the sport’s political circus has provided so many reasons for distraction.

Against that backdrop, Rory McIlroy did surprisingly well, entering the fourth round with only two shots from the lead at 12 under par. However, he slipped out of contention for the second week in a row last night by bogeying fifth and sixth, to 10 to sit under to seven.

Despite those difficulties, his game appears to be at its healthiest in weeks, although the US Open will have the added challenge of a Los Angeles court McIlroy has never set foot on.

Justin Rose’s status as a dark horse for the week ahead is bolstered by his show in Canada. After picking up two shots in seven holes of his final round, he sat 14 under, one wide of Nick Taylor’s lead. Rose was joined in a tie for second place with England’s Aaron Rai, who had played nine, while Fleetwood was one stroke back to six.