Scotland’s Marc Warren had no excuses after bowing out of the inaugural Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay in the semi-finals today.
Despite playing in the best conditions of the week at Murcar Links, Warren failed to manage a single birdie and was five over par in losing 3&2 to Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
The 34-year-old from Glasgow needed on-course treatment for a back injury during his quarter-final win over Tyrrell Hatton on Saturday, but admitted that was not a factor in his defeat.
“I played absolutely terrible today,” the second seed said. “I don’t think I hit the middle of the club face once and did not really deserve to go any further with that sort of performance.
“I’ll go out on the range and try to find something for the third/fourth place play-off so I’m not having to hit provisional balls off every tee!”
Aphibarnrat, who won his second European Tour title in the Shenzhen International in April, will face Sweden’s Robert Karlsson in this afternoon’s final after the former European number one edged past England’s David Howell.
Four birdies in five holes around the turn gave Karlsson a seemingly decisive three-hole lead with six to play, but he bogeyed the 13th and then saw Howell hole an extraordinary long birdie putt with 10 feet of break on the 16th.
A par on the 17th was enough for Howell to get back on level terms and Karlsson then missed from four feet for par to win on the 18th.
The former Ryder Cup team-mates both made par on the first extra hole and another par on the 20th gave Karlsson victory after Howell failed to get up and down from over the green.