Vancsik claims maiden title

Daniel Vancsik became the European Tour's 10th first-time winner of the season after only 17 events when he won the Madeira Islands…

Daniel Vancsik became the European Tour's 10th first-time winner of the season after only 17 events when he won the Madeira Islands Open by seven strokes.

Argentine Vancsik, leading by four shots going into the final round, extended his advantage with a closing four-under-par 68 to total 18-under 270 and finish ahead of 1995 Madeira winner Santiago Luna of Spain and South African David Frost.

The 30-year-old champion never looked nervous, despite being a surprise front-runner and took an eight-shot lead into the final nine holes after going out four-under.

Two more birdies soon after the turn held off Luna and a charging Frost and despite two back nine bogeys, Vancsik equalled the best aggregate score in the Portuguese island event.

READ MORE

In a season that has turned up several unheralded European Tour winners, Vancsik's was one of the more surprising successes.

He made only 10 cuts out of 25 starts in his rookie 2006 season and, after regaining his card, he came to Madeira on the back of a fourth missed cut in seven events this campaign, lying 215th on the European money list.

Vancsik was the ninth Argentine player to win on the European Tour and he was treated in the accustomed style to a drenching in champagne and his country's flag draped around his shoulders by compatriot players and caddies after a par at the final hole.

He has followed in the footsteps of some of the players who have influenced him, including Vicente Fernandez, the first Argentine winner after the European Tour began its first season in 1972.