EUROPEAN TOUR:Kenneth Ferrie came through a play-off with fellow Englishman Simon Wakefield to lift the Austrian Open in Atzenbrugg yesterday.
The 32-year-old from Newcastle held his nerve to lift a third European Tour title, adding to his wins at the Canarias Open de Espana in 2003 and the Smurfit European Open in 2005.
He sealed the win on the 18th hole, being afforded two putts to do so despite his initial drive going wide of the fairway while Wakefield’s landed on it.
Wakefield, last year’s Qualifying School champion, overhit his second shot into rough at the back of the green, though, and, after Ferrie had recovered with a beautiful second to within seven feet of the pin, the rest was a formality.
It had so nearly been a three-way play-off, with Holland’s Joost Luiten dropping a shot on the par-four 18th to fall out of contention on 11 under.
Both Ferrie and Wakefield ended on 12 under, both of them carding five-under finishing 67s, with Wakefield birdieing the last to deny Ferrie the win in regulation time.
A disappointing round of 72, including a disastrous seven on the par five 13th, scuppered the homes of overnight leader Thomas Norret.
Ireland’s Gary Murphy finished on three under par, tied for 21st spot, following a poor finishing 73 while Pádraig Harrington shot a closing 72 for a one-under tally.
SENIORS:Juan Quiros pipped Des Smyth on the second hole of a play-off in the Cannes Mougins Masters to capture his first European Senior Tour title in three seasons after a dramatic final day in the south of France.
Quiros had started the day three shots behind overnight leader Mike Harwood but fired a bogey free closing round of three under par 69 to finish on ten under par 206 at Cannes Mougins.
Smyth had earlier set the clubhouse target after a birdie on the last hole saw the former Ryder Cup player sign for a five under par round of 67.
Both players then missed birdie chances on the first extra hole, Smyth shaving the cup from eight foot while Quiros pushed his five footer down the right hand side.
Smyth suffered the same fate when they went back down the 18th a second time, agonisingly missing a tricky left-to-right five footer, but Quiros made no mistake with his four foot birdie putt to claim his fourth Senior Tour victory and first since the 2008 Irish Seniors Open.
CHALLENGE TOUR:Ireland's Simon Thornton saw his dream of a first Challenge Tour title come up one shot short when he was pipped for the Allianz Golf Open Grand Toulouse in south west France by England's Sam Little.
Little’s closing 68 gave him a 16 under par total of 268 and a one shot victory over Thornton who carded a 69 for a 269 tally.
But for Thornton the consolation was the €17,600 he picked up for second place which moved him from 25th place to 12th on the rankings. He now has an excellent chance of finishing in the top 20 at the end of the season – the top 20 automatically win a card for The 2012 European Tour.
“It would have been nice to go one better and get the win today but it just wasn’t to be but I’m pleased with the move I’ve made in the rankings,” said a pleased Thornton.
