O'Connor proves best of the best

After the three best players in the field had come together in the final group of the final round, Christy O'Connor Jnr proved himself to be the best of the best when retaining the Senior British Open title here at Royal Co Down yesterday. It was an occasion marked by bright sunshine, fresh winds off Dundrum Bay and a world-renowned links in stunning condition.

O'Connor sank a five-foot birdie putt on the final green to win by two strokes from South Africa's John Bland whom he had beaten by three strokes at Royal Portrush 12 months ago. And in the process, the Galwayman became the first player to retain this title since Brian Barnes in 1996.

Entering the final round, Bland led the championship on seven under par from O'Connor on six under, with former US Open and USPGA champion Hubert Green a stroke further back in third place. Combined winnings of $1.6million on the US Seniors' circuit so far this year, illustrated the quality of this trio.

And when it was all over, Bland couldn't hide his disappointment. "I seem to like finishing second in this tournament," said the South African with heavy irony. Then, referring to a chip and run shot from the dip right of the 18th green, which stopped only three inches from the hole, Bland added: "Had that chip gone in, we would have seen how good Christy would have been with his five-footer."

Golf has always been a game of ifs and buts and this particular battle was no different. In the event, Green was first to fall. With a crouching stance over the ball, especially when employing a split-handed putting method, the tall, angular American adopted the appearance of a menacing spider. And the speed of his swing would put Jimmy Kinsella to shame. A decidedly individualistic method, however, had produced some delightful shotmaking - but not in the final round. Green's driving was erratic and when a pulled tee-shot into deep rough led to a bogey at the ninth, he had dropped back to five under for the championship and three strokes behind O'Connor who was leading on eight under, entering the homeward journey.

In fact an eagle at the 502-yard first, which he reduced to a drive, six iron and 40foot putt, brought him level with Bland who birdied the hole.

The Galwayman went on to three-putt the third, however, to allow Bland regain the lead. But the short fourth set the pattern for the remainder of the round. With a glorious four iron followed by a 15-foot putt, O'Connor had a birdie to his rival's bogey. So, he was back on top of the leaderboard, where he remained for all but three of the remaining holes. A bogey at the 11th from a flier through the green, brought him back level with Bland, but a glorious par on the short 14th restored his lead for the final push to the title.

Despite the north-east wind, the links was in less punishing mood than earlier in the championship. So it was that David Jones raced through the field from 44th overnight to an eventual share of 12th place (Stg£7,333) with a closing 67.

The evergreen Bob Charles, who had led after 54 holes before slipping to fifth place at Portrush last year, showed how competitive he remains at 64, by shooting a bogeyfree final round of 67 to match his 1999 finish.

Against that background, O'Connor couldn't be sure of par golf seeing him through, especially in what had become a matchplay situation. But as it happened, his par at the short 14th proved to be priceless, especially since Bland failed to get up and down from a bunker there.

After over-shooting the green with a five iron, the Galwayman played the most delicate, 30-yard chip-and-run with a fivewood, to leave the ball 18 inches from the hole.

Now it became a case of protecting his slender lead. He followed Bland home from nine feet for a matching par at the 15th and got another matching par at the 16th despite a blocked drive. Then came a treacherous, downhill three-footer for par at the 17th.

Finally, down the last, O'Connor worked his yardages out beautifully. From a drive and three-iron into a crosswind, he left himself with a three-quarter wedge from 80 yards. In truth, he could hardly have played the hole better.