Brand wins in Bahrain as Smyth slips-up

A "stone cold duff" put an end to Des Smyth's hopes of finishing the season with a win in the Arcapita Seniors Tour Championship at Riffa Views in Bahrain, where he eventually finished seventh behind England's Gordon J Brand.

One stroke off the lead playing the ninth, the Irishman had 104 yards to the pin but knocked his lob wedge approach into the rocks at the edge of a lake 40 yards ahead, from where he made a double bogey six.

"That cost me hugely," admitted Smyth, who eventually closed in one over par 73 for a three round aggregate of two under par 214. "I just stone cold duffed it. It was lying perfect and I had the exact same yardage as the previous two days. To be honest, though, I played rubbish all day.

"I am now finished for the year and I will spend some time in the gym and try to work things out. I know I need to step up if I am to keep competing here and in the States.

"I was never happy with my game at any point this year, so overall I am pleased with my results. I did very well with the game I was carrying."

Brand fired a final round of six under 66 to force a play-off with joint overnight leader Adan Sowa of Argentina, who closed with a 71, at five under par 211.

Two return trips to the 18th were halved in par before Brand secured the €63,393 first prize and the final title of the 2006 European Seniors Tour season with a birdie four at the last, after Sowa had hooked his drive into the water and failed to make the green with his third shot.

Sowa's second placed finish, his best result to date on the European Seniors Tour, earned him a full card for 2007, as he leapt from 45th spot on the Order of Merit to 22nd thanks to a cheque for €42,262.

Third place went to another Argentine, Luis Carbonetti, who closed with a round of 69 to finish on four under par 212. A stroke further back were South African John Bland (73), New Zealand's Simon Owen (69) and Australian Stewart Ginn (68).

Scotland's Sam Torrance, who finished top of the Order of Merit for the second year running, made an early exit from Bahrain after a finger injury forced him to withdraw after nine holes of Thursday's opening round.