Swede hits career high

Sweden's Gabriel Hjerstedt, a rookie on the US circuit, fired a two-under par 70 in Endicott, New York, on Sunday to win his first USPGA event, taking the £1.3 million BC Open.

"This is a great moment for me," Hjerstedt said. "My emotions were running high. I watched the Ryder Cup - that was an inspiration for me. I had some trouble sleeping. I started poorly, but so did others."

Hjerstedt overcame a bogey on the first hole and a double bogey on the second to finish at 13under par 275, edging Americans Andrew Magee, Lee Rinker and Chris Perry by a stroke.

He became the first Swedish player to win on the USPGA Tour and the second rookie to win on the circuit this year, matching the feat of American Stewart Cink.

Hjerstedt played eight European PGA events last year, finishing no better than a share of 55th in Austria, and had never played a US event until this year.

But he made the US tour after finishing ninth at the qualifying tournament last year. The triumph, worth $234,000, will boost him into position to retain his playing rights for next year.

The victory came at an event that lacked the top 19 money winners of the year, many of whom were competing at the Ryder Cup matches in Spain.

Final Totals: 275 - G Hjerstedt (Swe) 70 69 66 70; 276 - L Rinker 70 68 72 66, C Perry 69 69 69 69, A Magee 67 70 69 70; 277 - R Green 71 68 69 69, B Fleisher 70 66 71 70, R Gamez 70 67 68 72; 278 - D Mast 70 71 70 67, B Hughes (Aus) 70 71 69 68, D Stockton 68 72 69 69, G Waite (Nzl) 69 67 72 70.

Men's World Rankings: (US unless stated): 1, G Norman (Australia) 11.74 points average; 2, T Woods 11.48; 3, E Els (South Africa) 9.85; 4, N Price (Zimbabwe) 9.27; 5, T Lehman 8.57; 6, C Montgomerie (Britain) 8.53; 7, P Mickelson 8.22; 8, M Ozaki (Japan) 8.09; 9, M O'Meara 7.90; 10, D Love III 7.69; 11, J Leonard 7.07; 12, S Hoch 6.75; 13, F Couples 6.73; 14, S Elkington (Aus) 6.63; 15, N Faldo (Britain) 6.42; 16, B Faxon 6.28; 17, S Jones 5.62; 18, V Singh (Fiji) 5.62; 19, J Parnevik (Sweden) 5.57; 20, J Furyk (US) 5.29.

American Wendy Ward smashed the 72 hole LPGA record for her first tour triumph in Charlotte, North Carolina, on sunday, firing a two under par 70 for a two stroke victory at the Fieldcrest Classic. Ward, who began the day six strokes ahead, had a career best pay day of $82,500.