Marc Warren took “nothing but positives” from missing out in a play-off on a potentially career-changing win at the BMW PGA Championship.
Italy’s Matteo Manassero eventually prevailed in a four-hole play-off to become the youngest-ever winner of the European Tour’s flagship championship, claiming his fourth tour title before he has celebrated his 21st birthday.
The 32-year-old Scot led outright with four holes to play during the sun-soaked final day at Wentworth but for the third time in under a year he also lost Sunday leads at the Scottish Open last July and the Spanish Open just a month ago found himself left disappointed again in the play-off against Manassero and England’s Simon Khan.
A run of four successive birdies from the tenth had propelled the Scot to the top of the leaderboard in the tournament but first Khan and then Manassero pulled level and forced the sudden-death play-off on the West Course’s 18th hole.
Warren was never really in the mix in the first sudden-death hole after he carved a three-wood into the trees on the right and had to go back to the tee.
Taking driver the second time, Warren hit into the ditch and from a tricky downhill lie there hit into the water in front of the green.
Manassero and Khan played on, visiting the 18th three more times before Khan found the water and the Italian claimed the title.
Despite the play-off loss his first in five sudden-death situations as a professional Warren insisted that the pain was not as great as in Castle Stuart and Spain despite missing out of the European Tour’s flagship title and £670,000 winners’ cheque.
“I did absolutely nothing wrong all week, it’s all positives,” he said. “I put together a really good back nine today to give myself a chance of winning. In regular events outside the majors this is the most pressure we play in and I loved every second of it.
“I felt confident going into the play-off given my previous record and although I changed my gameplan there all week by taking a three-wood rather than a three-iron, I felt I had to go for it so I stand by that. It was the right thing to do.
“It would have felt worse taking a five and losing while the other guys made fours.”
Warren believes that it will only be a matter of time before he picks up his first European Tour title since his win at Gleneagles in 2007.
“Of course it’s disappointing getting so close and not winning, but the main positive is that I was there again,” he said. Warren was met as he came off the green by wife Laura and son Archie, barely two months old.
“It certainly puts things in perspective. There’s some things that are more important than winning golf tournaments,” Warren said.
For more from Steve Scott at Wentworth, see Monday’s Courier or try our digital edition.