WALES OPEN: THE OUTSIDER theme has not so much gained pace on the European Tour recently, it has taken over as the norm. Jeppe Huldahl confirmed the topsy-turviness of results when he won the Wales Open here yesterday in some style - despite having missed the cut in his previous three events.
The 26-year-old Dane, back on the circuit after a four-year demotion to the lower leagues, returned a final-round 67 for a nine-under-par total and victory by a single shot over Niclas Fasth.
At the start of the week in Gwent he was ranked 377th in the world. Last week, Christian Cevaer took the European Open despite being ranked 449th, while a fortnight earlier the then amateur Shane Lowry won the Irish Open - not so much a surprise as a colossal shock, even to the experts of the press.
Certainly there was much poring over the Official Media Guide by reporters used to recognising the likes of Colin Montgomerie at a thousand paces but who had no idea about Huldahl. Turns out that he is from Holstebro, that he is 5ft 10in, weighs in at 11st 4lb and, the clincher, "likes all sports". Books? Don't even go there please.
"Am I surprised to win? Yes I am," he said. "I was so nervous over the last three holes that I couldn't feel my hands. I knew I needed a par at the last to win and, believe me, that was an emotional hole for me. Now I get exemptions and things and so I can relax a bit and try to secure my future on the European Tour."
To be fair, Huldahl deserved his moment in the sun, because his final round was a classic study in careful golf under pressure, with four birdies and, more significantly, no bogeys.
Paul McGinley had moved into a challenging position on six under par after 11 holes, but then fell away with four bogeys (and one more birdie) to sign for a 71 and a share of 15th place on three under.
In contrast, Peter Lawrie had five birdies on his back nine to move up the field to two under par and a share of 24th.
Meanwhile, Richie Ramsay learned a harsh lesson. Television pictures suggested he may have attempted to improve his lie during the third round. The images were, however, inconclusive, and the former US Amateur champion insisted he had not done anything wrong by stamping his feet around after marking, lifting and cleaning his ball on the fairway.
The chief referee, John Paramour, suggested the player think about it overnight and report back before he completed his rain-delayed round early yesterday morning. He did so and he still denied any wrongdoing, so that appeared to be the end of that. Except he then lifted his ball on the 18th without marking it first.
Glancing up, the Scot saw Paramour lurking and suggested to the ref that he had just incurred a penalty stroke. Paramour confirmed this with a sage nod of his considerable head. Upset by everything and fatigued after a restless night's sleep, Ramsay rapidly slipped away from contention although to his credit he rallied towards the end to return a 69.
Lowry will today attempt to clinch a spot at next month's British Open Championship when he competes in an international qualifier at Sunningdale. Lowry has missed his first two cuts since turning professional, but at least he has had some good news after being confirmed as the European Tour's Golfer of the Month - his first victory as a pro.
Guardian Service
Woods charges to victory in Ohio
TOUR DIGEST: US TOUR: Tiger Woods charged through the field with a final round 65 to win the Memorial tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club yesterday.
Woods finished on 12-under-par 276, one shot clear of Jim Furyk with Jonathan Byrd third.
Staring the day in seventh place Woods hit the birdie trail early with a first nine of 33 and then eagled the par-five 11th before carding three birdies in the last four holes.
Woods, winning his 67th PGA Tour event, conjured a magical chip-in from tangly greenside rough to eagle the par-five 11th.
American Byrd spectacularly holed out from 82 yards to eagle the par-five seventh earlier in the final round. CHALLENGE TOUR: Northern Ireland's Gareth Shaw posted a disappointed final round of two over par 74 to finish the Kärnten Golf Open presented by Markus Brier Foundation in a tie for 45th place on four-under-par 284.
Shaw could do nothing to hang on to the coat-tails of eventual winner Christophe Günther of Germany, who fired a quite unbelievable 10-under-par 62 in the final round to rampage his way through the field for a 20-under-par total of 268 and a one-stroke win over Carlos Rodiles of Spain (68) and his countryman Florian Fritsch (67).
The focus for Shaw, and the rest of Ireland's Challenge Tour contingent, now falls on the Darren Clarke-designed Champions Club at Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort in Kildare which plays host to this week's Challenge of Ireland.
LET TOUR: Tania Elosegui overcame a two-stroke deficit to win the ABN AMRO Ladies Open at Eindhovensche Golf Club in Holland.
A final-round 69 gave Elosegui a nine-under-par total of 207, one clear of Italy's Diana Luna. Norway's Marianne Skarpnord was third, two shots back on 210.
The victory was the 27-year-old Spaniard's first on the Ladies European Tour and followed five previous runner-up finishes.
"I feel very, very happy because five times I've finished second already," she said.
Elosegui clinched the win by nailing a two-and-a-half metre birdie putt on the last hole. Despite an excellent recovery shot, the Italian was forced to settle for second.
Skarpnord, the recent Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open champion, was five shots back coming into the final round but just came up short after a 69.
Welsh star Becky Brewerton, who was tied for 16th place overnight, carded a 66 which tied for the best score of the day with England's Rebecca Hudson. Brewerton shared fourth place with Iben Tinning from Denmark on 211. Hudson finished in equal eighth on 213 with Italian Stefania Croce and Virginie Lagoutte-Clement of France.
Ireland's only qualifier, Hazel Kavanagh, carded a final round of 75 for a one-under-par total of 215.
AMATEUR: Alan Dunbar scored another success for Irish golf when he won the prestigious St Andrews Links Trophy with a four round total of 285, one shot ahead of Matt Haines from Rochester with Rhys Enoch from Truro in third place.
Dunbar, from the Rathmore club in Portrush, and a member of the both Ireland's boys and senior winning teams in last year's Home Internationals, had rounds of 71, 73, 71 and 70, and he has certainly boosted his chances of selection on the Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team tol face the USA.
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