EUROPEAN TOUR:Ricardo Santos shot a spectacular closing 63 yesterday to give Portugal their first European Tour win for 20 years. The 29-year-old turned a four-stroke deficit into a stunning four-shot victory on home soil at the Madeira Islands Open.
“It is very emotional and I haven’t got the words to describe how I feel,” Santos, the world number 306, said after grabbing five birdies in the last seven holes. “To win my first European Tour event in my own country is very special. It was a sensational round, definitely the best of my career. It would be difficult to imagine a better win than this.”
Swede Magnus Carlsson was second and Dane Andreas Harto third as Spaniard Carlos Del Moral, three clear at the start of the day, fell away to joint fourth with a 73.
Santos sank a monster putt on the 17th to all but guarantee victory, and then another birdie at the last. It is the second week running someone has won from four back after 54 holes after Francesco Molinari achieved the feat at Spanish Open.
EUROPEAN SENIOR TOUR:Gary Wolstenholme got his 2012 campaign off to a winning start with a two-stroke victory in the Mallorca Open Senior, the first event of the new European Senior Tour season.
Wolstenholme claimed his second Senior Tour title with a final round of 69 at Pula Golf Club for an eight under par total of 205. South African Chris Williams, Australia’s Mike Harwood and England’s Paul Wesselingh finished tied second, two strokes back.
After a perfect start, holing from 25 feet on the first for a birdie, Wolstenholme dropped a shot on the seventh, missing from six feet for par, but a run of three birdies in five holes from the ninth lifted him clear of the chasing pack. A wrong club on the 14th cost him another shot but from there he parred in for the title.
Playing in his first Senior Tour event, Ireland’s Philip Walton carded a final round of 72, one over par, to finish on two over for the tournament and a share of 22nd position The Dubliner picked up a cheque for €2,100 for his efforts.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR:Christel Boeljon captured her second straight Turkish Airlines Ladies Open title yesterday with a final round of level-par 73 at National Golf Club in Belek, Antalya. The 24-year-old Dutch woman dominated the tournament, having either led outright or held a share of the lead after each round, ending with a score of seven-under-par 285, matching the tournament record set by Lotta Wahlin in 2008.
Finland’s Ursula Wikstrom finished three strokes back in secondon four under par, while Carlota Ciganda of Spain and Sweden’s Carin Koch tied for third at two under par.
