Suneson claims first Tour title

Golf Digest/ EUROPEAN TOUR: Spain's Carl Suneson yesterday won his first European Tour title in the St Omer Open.

Suneson carded a final-round 69 for an eight-under-par total of 276 and three-shot winning margin.

England's Marcus Higley, Australian Peter Fowler and France's Francois Calmels shared second on five under par, with Swede Mikael Lundberg another shot behind in fifth.

David Higgins, who shared the first round lead, fired a final round of 74 for a five-over-par total of 289, while Stephen Browne fell away to 298 after a final round of 78.

Suneson, fourth in 2004 and sixth in 2005, made a solid start with six pars before a birdie on the seventh.

A bogey on the next gave the chasing pack some hope, but the 39-year-old picked up birdies at the 12th and 14th to establish a stranglehold on the event, jointly sanctioned with the Challenge Tour. Another birdie on the 17th effectively sealed victory.

SENIORS TOUR: Des Smyth closed with a best-of-the-day five-under-par 67 for a share of fourth place in the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open at Conwy Golf Club, a tournament won by England's Carl Mason.

Mason, four strokes behind after eight holes of yesterday's final round, produced four birdies down the testing back nine to secure his 15th European Seniors Tour title by two strokes from overnight leader Juan Quiros of Spain and Ross Drummond of Scotland.

The Oxfordshire golfer's closing round of four-under-par 68 gave him a winning 54-hole total of six-under-par 210 and a healthy winner's cheque of €110,358.

LET TOUR: South Africa's Ashleigh Simon became the youngest professional winner of a Ladies European Tour event at the Catalonia Ladies Masters in Spain, edging out British duo Becky Brewerton and Kirsty Taylor by two strokes.

The teenager, aged 18 and 37 days, carded a two-under-par 70 at the Club de Golf Masia Bach near Barcelona to finish on eight-under-par 208.

She began the day a shot behind overnight leader Taylor but the Englishwoman carded a 73 to drop to second alongside Brewerton, who had a 72.

Rebecca Coakley finished on three-over-par 219 after a final round of 72.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Spain's Carlota Ciganda, only recently turned 17 years of age, beat Anna Nordqvist from Eskilstuna, Sweden by 4 and 3 in the 18-hole final to win the British Ladies Amateur Championship at Alwoodley, Leeds, yesterday.

Ciganda is the fourth Spanish player in the past seven years to win the title, following in the footsteps of Marta Prieto (2001), Elisa Serramia (2003) and Belen Mozo last year.

It was the second year in a row that Miss Nordqvist had lost in the final.

VAGLIANO TROPHY: Ireland's Tara Delaney was yesterday selected on the Britain and Ireland team for the defence of the Vagliano Trophy against the Continent of Europe at Fairmont St Andrews on July 27th-28th.

BRITAIN AND IRELAND: Rachel Bell (Ganton), Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), Krystle Caithness (St Regulus), Tara Delaney (Carlow), Naomi Edwards (Ganton), Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan), Breanne Loucks (Wrexham), Melissa Reid (Chevin), Kerry Smith (Waterlooville). Reserves: Florentyna Parker (Gut Waldhof), Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), Jodi Ewart (Catterick), Michele Thomson (Mcdonald Ellon). Non-playing captain: Mary McKenna (Donabate).