Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard overturned a six-shot deficit before beating Nacho Elvira in a play-off to become the first home winner of the Made in HimmerLand event.
Elvira hit his second shot out of bounds on the sixth extra hole to effectively gift a fourth DP World Tour title to Hojgaard, who had holed from nine feet for par on the previous hole to keep his hopes alive.
“I’m speechless,” Hojgaard told Sky Sports after a win which moves him within 100 points of an automatic qualifying place for the Ryder Cup.
“To be fair I did not think I would end up in a play-off today. It’s quite amazing. It’s a dream come true to win our home event.
“This is better than I could ever dream of. We’ve wanted a Danish winner for so long now so to be the first one to do it is amazing.”
Hojgaard, who used to attend the event with his family – including fellow professional and twin brother Nicolai – added: “It isn’t that long ago that I was one of those kids trying to get balls and signed gloves. It’s awesome to see them out here supporting us.”
Hojgaard began the day six shots off the lead but surged through the field with a closing 64, including a birdie on the daunting 18th, to set the target on 13 under par.
Richie Ramsay had the first chance to surpass that target after a birdie on the 16th took him to 14 under, only to find the water with his approach to the last to run up a double bogey and finish a shot outside the play-off.
Overnight leader Elvira, who had bogeyed the 13th and 15th to fall two shots off the pace, birdied the next two holes to catch Ramsay as the Scot played the 18th, but bogeyed the same hole after a long wait on the tee as Ramsay determined where his ball had entered the hazard.
Elvira, who had made just five cuts in 17 previous events this year, had the consolation of securing a place in the Open Championship with his runners-up finish, with former champion Marc Warren and Kalle Samooja taking the other two spots in a tie for fourth.
Ramsay, who also double-bogeyed the 72nd hole of last year’s British Masters when needing a par to claim the clubhouse lead, tweeted: “Today will hurt for a long time but I did play very well.
“Played to win so took that shot on (on 18) just didn’t come out great. My daughter told me she was proud of me, massive cushion for today.”
Compatriot Robert MacIntyre held a two-shot lead at the turn after covering the front nine in 32 to reach 15 under, but ran up a triple-bogey seven on the 13th after failing to move his second shot from waist-high rough.
MacIntyre also bogeyed the 15th to card a closing 71 and finish alongside Warren, Samooja and Alexander Bjork on 11 under par.
McIlroy: Golf could learn from Northern Ireland peace process
Rory McIlroy has urged professional golf to find a "compromise" to the ongoing rift between the PGA Tour and the breakaway LIV circuit.
The world number two suggested they should follow the example of the Northern Ireland peace process, recalling the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, a peace deal that helped to end the Troubles in his homeland.
McIlroy noted the advantages of a deal being reached soon while admitting that both golf tours would have to compromise in the process.
Speaking ahead of this week’s Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina, McIlroy said: "I sort of liken it to like when Northern Ireland went through the peace process in the '90s and the Good Friday Agreement. Neither side was happy.
"Catholics weren't happy, Protestants weren't happy, but it brought peace and then you just sort of learn to live with whatever has been negotiated, right?
"That was in 1998, and 20, 25, 30 years ahead, my generation doesn't know any different. It's just this is what it's always been like, and we've never known anything but peace.
"That's sort of my little way of trying to think about it and trying to make both sides see that there could be a compromise here.
"It's probably not going to feel great for either side, but if it's a place where the game of golf starts to thrive again, and we can all get back together, then I think that's ultimately a really good thing."
Tiger Woods confirmed as part of PGA Championship field
Tiger Woods has been officially named as part of the field for next week's PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.
Woods, who has clinched four of his 15 major titles at the PGA Championship, made a record-breaking 24th consecutive cut at the Masters last month.
A nightmare third round of 82 – his worst ever at Augusta National – meant he finished last of all players to make the cut on 16 over, but he immediately outlined his intention to play the remaining three majors of 2024.
On Tuesday, the 48-year-old was officially confirmed as being part of the field for next week's event in Louisville, joining 15 other past winners including Rory McIlroy and defending champion Brooks Koepka.
Two further spots will be allocated to the winners of this week's Wells Fargo Championship and Myrtle Beach Classic.
While McIlroy won the last PGA Championship to be held at Valhalla in 2014, Woods triumphed on the previous occasion in 2000, the first leg of the 'Tiger Slam' in which he held all four major titles at once.
Last week, Woods was given a special exemption to allow him to feature at June's U.S. Open, for which he failed to qualify after slipping to 801st in the world rankings.
Things trending in the right direction for Koepka ahead of PGA Championship defence
Brooks Koepka believes things are trending in the right direction as he prepares to defend his PGA Championship title next week, having warmed up with a two-shot win at LIV Golf Singapore.
Koepka recorded his first triumph on the LIV circuit this year on Sunday, shooting a three-under final round of 68 to see off competition from Australian duo Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith.
A resurgent Smith shot five under in the third round in Singapore, but Koepka carded four birdies and one bogey to ensure he became the first player to win four titles on the LIV tour.
His return to form comes at an ideal time, as he gears up for a bid to win his fourth PGA Championship title – and sixth major overall – at Valhalla Golf Club next week.
"It's all starting to come around. I've put in a lot of work and I like the way things are trending," the Florida native said.
"I just need to go back next week and make sure everything continues, do the right stuff and go from there."
Kopeka had finished in a share of ninth in LIV's previous event in Adelaide one week earlier, four shots back of winner Brendan Steele.
The 34-year-old continued: "I feel good – I feel a lot better than I did last week.
"It was about rounding the corner for me. I was improving but the results weren't there. It's nice to see some results and the hard work paying off.
"I still have the same expectations every time I go tee it up and that's to win. Those are my expectations, what I want to do. One result doesn't mean anything really in the scheme of things.
"For two weeks, a lot can change. Yeah, it does help, but at the same time, I've seen guys miss cuts and then go win and then win and then not compete the week after. It's all ebbs and flows."
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