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LAS PALMAS (Canary Islands), April 28: Sergio Garcia survived two dropped shots and a double-bogey six in his last seven holes to win the Spanish Open by four strokes at El Cortijo Sunday.
The 22-year-old Spaniard closed with a one-over-par 73 to finish at 13-under 275, securing his first European Tour victory on home soil and the fourth of his career.
Italy’s Emanuele Canonica bogeyed the last to card a level-par 72 for second place at nine-under 278 while Briton Greg Owen, after a 72, was a further shot back in third.
Spanish amateur Rafel Cabrera, following a 73, tied for fourth at seven-under 281 alongside Sweden’s Carl Pettersson, who shot a final round of 72.
Leading final round scores (Britain unless stated, a-denotes amateur):
275 — Sergio Garcia (Spain) 67, 68, 67, 73.
279 — Emanuele Canonica (Italy) 68, 69, 70, 72.
280 — Greg Owen 67, 69, 72, 72.
281 — Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 68, 72, 69, 72; a-Rafel Cabrera
(Spain) 69, 72, 67, 73.
283 — Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina) 68, 75, 70, 70; Anders Forsbrand (Sweden) 70, 74, 68, 71.
284 — Retief Goosen (South Africa) 73, 73, 71, 67; David Gilford 66, 77, 71, 70.
285 — David Drysdale 72, 72, 69, 72; Ian Poulter 70, 72, 71, 72; Kenneth Ferrie 69, 71, 72, 73; Steen Tinning (Denmark) 71, 73, 68, 73; Didier de Vooght (Belgium) 70, 69, 71, 75; Stuart Little 68, 72, 70, 75; Marcel Siem (Germany) 67, 71, 72, 75; Ian Hutchings (South Africa) 70, 71, 69, 75.
286 — Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 71, 72, 72, 71; Jose Manuel Carriles (Spain) 69, 73, 72, 72; Gordon Brand Jr 70, 72, 70, 74.
MEDIATE LEADS
GREENSORO (North Carolina): Rocco Mediate’s fondness for the $3.8 million Greater Greensboro Classic grew appreciably after a six-under-par 66 gave him the third-round lead Saturday.
Mediate, the 1993 winner of this event, was 15-under-par on 201, two strokes ahead of joint overnight leader Mark Calcavecchia (69) at the Forest Oaks Country Club.
US PGA Tour rookie Chad Campbell was alone in third place after a 66 put him on 205. Jonathan Kaye (66) and joint overnight leader Robert Gamez (73) were on 207, one ahead of John Huston (71) and New Zealand’s Phil Tataurangi (73).
Playing in the group immediately ahead of Calcavecchia, Mediate trailed by a stroke until a birdie at the par-three 12th created a brief tie at 12-under. Minutes later, Calcavecchia bogeyed the same hole to trail by a shot.
Mediate then birdied the inward par-fives and added a final birdie at the 18th.
Mediate went on the offensive early with three consecutive birdies. He then made two straight bogeys before a birdie at the par-four seventh helped him keep pace with Calcavecchia, who also went out in two-under 34.
LEADING THIRD ROUND SCORES (US UNLESS STATED):
201 — Rocco Mediate 68, 67, 66.
203 — Mark Calcavecchia 65, 69, 69.
205 — Chad Campbell 67, 72, 66.
207 — Jonathan Kaye 69, 72, 66; Robert Gamez 67, 67, 73.
208 — John Huston 71, 66, 71; Phil Tataurangi (New Zealand) 68, 67, 73.
209 — Matt Gogel 73, 68, 68; Mike Sposa 69, 71, 69; K.J. Choi (South Korea) 71, 69, 69; Lee Porter 67, 71, 71.
210 — Jim Gallagher Jr 67, 73, 70; Jerry Kelly 69, 70, 71.—Reuters
