Sport

Top man in Pontypridd now top man in Europe

European Open : If not an Irish winner, then at least one with Celtic blood in his veins, writes Philip Reid at The K Club.

Mon Jul 07 2003 - 01:00

European Open: If not an Irish winner, then at least one with Celtic blood in his veins, writes Philip Reid at The K Club.

Phillip Price, of Wales, has spent 14 years traipsing the globe in search of titles and, in the Smurfit European Open at The K Club yesterday, the 325th tournament of his career, he struck gold.

In securing his third title, but his first outside of Portugal, the Ryder Cup player scooped the top prize of €481,245 - funnily enough, some €1,221 short of the biggest cheque of his career for finishing runner-up in the world championship NEC Invitational three years ago.

"The money's important, of course it is. I can't say I don't want the money, but it is titles I really want . . . and, although this is not a major championship, it is a major tournament in Europe and for my self-satisfaction it was great to prove I can get the job done," insisted Price.

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Before now, Price - twice the Pontypridd "man of the year" in his home town - was remembered as the man who toppled Phil Mickelson in the Ryder Cup at The Belfry last year, for which he earned not a single cent. This wire-to-wire win brought his career winnings to over $4.5 million and added to the two Portuguese Opens (1994 and 2001) victories.

"Why haven't I won more titles? I'd say I haven't had many chances. I was a poor ball-striker and a pretty average player for a long time. My game's been built around getting around, so I finish, say, top 15, quite often.

"I've probably been able to accumulate decent money because, even if my game is off, I could scramble around okay. Now, I have a quality golf game and can play great golf. Until this year, I've never had that."

Price birdied the 72nd hole for a final round 70, giving him a 16-under-par 272 total and a one-shot winning margin over Mark McNulty and Alastair Forsyth.

Darren Clarke was best of the Irish players, in tied-fifth place, four shots behind the winner. He plays in this week's Scottish Open at Loch Lomond before heading on to the British Open at Royal St George's, but Padraig Harrington - who finished in a disappointing tied-61st position here but who remains second in the Order of Merit - takes a week off to practice on links courses before heading to Sandwich.