SENIORS TOUR: England's Gordon J Brand held off an illustrious list of challengers that included Greg Norman and Order of Merit leader Sam Torrance to secure his maiden victory on the European Seniors Tour at the OKI Castellón Open de España Senior yesterday.
Brand closed with a level-par 72 at Sergio Garcia's home course of Club de Golf Mediterráneo to secure the €45,000 first prize with a winning 54-hole total of 13-under-par 203.
The former Ryder Cup player had started the final round in Valencia with a five-stroke lead, following scores of 65 and 66, but finished two shots clear of Torrance and Carl Mason, who returned scores of 69 and 68, respectively, for a share of second place on 11-under-par.
Norman, who was playing in only his sixth tournament of the year following a second operation on his right knee, remained in contention before bogeys at the 15th and 16th holes saw him return a 71 for a share of sixth place.
Brand, who was second to Norman in the 1986 British Open at Turnberry, was relieved to break his duck on his 24th outing on the European Seniors Tour.
"That was hard work - I am delighted but exhausted. I knew they were getting close but I just kept plugging away making pars. I wasn't 100 per cent confident out there, but having a lead meant I could play to the safe parts of the green," he said.
Torrance's €25,500 runner-up cheque moved him a huge step closer to a second successive Order of Merit. With the penultimate event due to start in Portugal on Friday, the Scotsman leads with €319,996 and can only be caught if either Mason or José Rivero win the last two events.
Eamonn Darcy, who had been in third place overnight, endured a disappointing day and closed with a two-over 74 for a share of 12th spot.
He was replaced as the leading Irishman by Jimmy Heggarty, who compiled a 69 to finish among a group of four players in eighth place.
ASIAN TOUR: Retief Goosen yesterday cruised to a three-shot victory in the Volkswagen-Masters China at Yalong Bay Golf Club.
The South African, who held a five-shot lead after 54 holes, carded a final round 71 for a 21-under-par total of 267.
Fellow former US Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand stormed home in 30 for a closing 68 to claim second place on 18 under.
LPGA: Lorena Ochoa held a one-shot lead over Annika Sorenstam with six holes to play in yesterday's final round of the Woman's World Championship in California.
The Mexican was six under par for 12 holes of her final round and 15 under par overall at Bighorn Golf Club at Palm Desert.
Sorenstam was only two under for the day on 14 under, while fellow Swede Sophie Gustafson was the only other player challenging on 12 under.
