Bickerton finally closes it

Digest/EUROPEAN TOUR: John Bickerton saved his European Tour career in the best possible fashion yesterday by winning his first title at the 287th attempt.

The 35-year-old Englishman, five times a runner-up, took the Abama Canaries Open in Tenerife by five strokes from left-hander Stuart Little and South African Michael Kirk.

Bickerton went into the week 118th on the Order of Merit and needing a top-five finish to remove any worries about losing his card and being forced back to the qualifying school.

But, after missing the halfway cut in six of his last nine starts, he lifted the first prize with a closing 68 and 10-under-par total of 274.

"Finally," he sighed. "It feels fantastic, awesome. It's been a long time coming and I've been very worried about my place on tour.

"It's your career, your future lies on this game and a few quid makes such a difference. I moved down five spots last week, but it made me more determined and it's nice to pull it off under pressure."

Little was already safe on tour for next season, but second place represented his best finish of his career, while Kirk is now certain to graduate to the main circuit from the "second division" Challenge Tour.

Joint fourth were Scot Marc Warren, Swede Johan Axgren and, in his 500th tour event, Sheffield's Mark Roe.

EUROPEAN SENIORS: Northern Ireland's Eddie Polland recorded his best result for almost 17 months when he finished tied second with Spaniard José Rivero and Sam Torrance of Scotland in the Algarve Seniors Open of Portugal at a rain-soaked Quinta de Cima Golfe on Sunday.

Polland was in a four-way tie for the lead playing the difficult 18th, but missed his birdie putt from eight feet after a majestic three-iron approach.

It was too prove costly as American Jerry Bruner, playing in the final group, holed from 30 feet for a three that moved him one shot clear on 11 under par 205. Torrance then suffered the same fate as Polland, missing his birdie putt.