GOLF DIGEST: EUROPEAN TOUR – Scandinavian Masters:Swede Richard S Johnson sank a 30-foot birdie putt on the final green to become only the second home winner of the Scandinavian Masters in the last 12 years yesterday.
With a play-off looming against Argentina’s Rafa Echenique, the 33-year-old looked to have played safe with his approach to the 407-yard last at Bro Hof Slott near Stockholm.
But months of putting woes in America – he is now based there, but has not had a top-30 finish since February – were forgotten as he took his second European Tour title eight years after his first.
Johnson, whose regular caddie Lance Ten Broeck went and played in the British Senior Open instead and missed the cut, earned €268,000 after a closing 71 gave him an 11-under-par total of 277.
Italian Edoardo Molinari, winner of the Scottish Open two weeks ago, took another step towards a Ryder Cup debut – possibly alongside his brother Francesco – by finishing third thanks to a 20-foot last putt.
That left British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen in a tie for fourth with Australian Brett Rumford and New Zealander Mark Brown.
A closing 69 for a six-under-par finishing total earned Meath man Damien McGrane a share of eighth place alongside Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Englishman James Morrison.
Michael Hoey closed with a 73 for a share of 14th place, on three-under, while Simon Thornton signed for a 77 to finish on three over par.
SENIORS TOUR – British Open:Germany's Bernhard Langer won his first senior major with a one-shot victory over American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin at the Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie yesterday.
The 52-year-old finished five under par after a closing one-over-par 72 – enough to hold off the challenge of Pavin, two years his junior and playing in his maiden senior major.
Langer began the round three strokes clear of Pavin on six under. Ian Woosnam and Jay Haas were one shot behind Pavin at the start and the Welshman looked to be making his move after holing a superb birdie putt from the fringe of the eighth green.
Haas’ challenge had stalled on the previous hole after a triple-bogey seven – and Woosnam fell away on the back nine, with two bogeys and a closing double-bogey six.
Langer dropped shots at eight and nine and Pavin’s birdie at 11 brought him within one shot of the lead, but he bogeyed the 15th and Langer was two clear playing the last, allowing him to complete his first major victory since his second US Masters success in 1993.
Des Smyth closed with a 71 for a seven-over-par 291, while a 75 left Denis O’Sullivan on 298
WOMEN'S TOUR – Evian Masters:South Korea's Jiyai Shin birdied the final hole to claim a one-shot victory at the Evian Masters in Evian-les-Bains, France. The world number four returned a final round of 67 to finish at 14 under.
Shin came from two strokes behind to overcome third-round leader Morgan Pressel of the United States. Pressel struck a 70 to finish in a share of second with 15-year-old compatriot Alexis Thompson (67) and South Korean Na Yeon Choi (66) on 13 under.
AMATEUR – European Women's Championship:A bogey five at the tough closing hole on the Kuneticka Hora course in the Czech Republic on Saturday meant heartbreak for 15-year-old Leona Maguire as she missed out on a medal in the European Ladies Amateur Championship.
The Curtis Cup player finished with a one-under-par 71 for a 72-hole aggregate of 284, four under par.
She had reached the turn in 37 and had birdies on 11, 14 and 16 but the five at the last meant she finished one stroke behind the joint second-placed competitors Line Vedel Hansen from Denmark, Spaniard Marta Silva and French player Manon Gidali.
German Sophia Popov won the title and the gold with an aggregate of 280.
Lisa Maguire, Leona’s twin sister, finished on 290 in joint 21st position while Mary Dowling ended on 304 – in 60th place.
Meanwhile, in the European Young Masters, only Alex Gleeson of the Irish contingent produced the odd touch of class.
He closed with a 77 but was well down the field.
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