Incisive burst from O'Malley

Peter O'Malley, something of a specialist in producing winning streaks, conjured up a devastating burst over seven holes yesterday to capture the English Open title.

The Australian, who in 1992 played the final five holes of the Scottish Open at Gleneagles in seven under par to win the event, yesterday played the seven holes from the eighth in six-under, good enough for a round of 66 and a total of 275, 13under par. That beat the little-known Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin by one shot, with the 20-year-old Australian Adam Scott a further stroke away in third after a final round of 73, one-over par.

Jacquelin had a good chance to either win, or tie, after he holed from off the green for a birdie at the 16th to move to 13-under. But he failed to get the birdie that the long 17th was routinely offering yesterday and then bogeyed the 18th, a 209-yard par three where he was bunkered short of the green.

It was a victory achieved with the aid of a putter on its best behaviour. The putt at the short eighth was only three feet but those at the 10th and 11th were in the 30foot category while the eagle at the long 12th came about with the assistance of a putt that was holed almost by accident. "I'd have been really happy with anything within a couple of feet," the Australian confessed, "but it was so well struck that it was obvious it was going in when it was still six feet out."

That putt had started its journey 60 feet from the hole and O'Malley had to build in six feet of break from left to right, a right-hander's nightmare. When putts like that go in players sense that something might be about to happen and O'Malley, after birdieing the 13th with a 20-footer, decided that percentage play from thereon in was the sensible option.

That meant laying up at the long 17th, not risking the lake in front of the green with his second shot, and his homeward half of 31, five-under, set a target no one could match.

O'Malley's £133,330 sterling winnings moved him through the £2 million barrier in career earnings since he first came to England in 1989.

He also moved up to eighth in the order of merit with £281,300 although Angel Cabrera from Argentina still leads with £518,774.

If there was disappointment on the day it lay in the performance of O'Malley's playing partner Justin Rose, who began the day level with the Australian on seven-under and ended it 13 behind, after a round of 79.