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COLOGNE (Germany), Sept 16: Australian Stephen Leaney earned his fourth European Tour title when he won the German Masters by a stroke from Germany’s Alex Cejka Sunday.
Leaney closed with a five-under-par 67 to total 22-under-par 266, take the 500,000-dollar top prize and earn himself a place in next week’s WGC American Express Championship in Ireland.
Leaney came from two strokes behind overnight leader Paul Casey of England with an accomplished front nine on Sunday in which he picked up four strokes.
His birdie on the 10th proved to be the difference between victory and a playoff with the determined Cejka, who collected six birdies but added two bogeys for a 68.
Leaney’s win earned him a five-year exemption and a massive 50 world ranking points.
Defending champion Bernhard Langer shot a 69 to finish in 10th place, just a stroke behind Colin Montgomerie.
Padraig Harrington, saying he was 95 percent recovered from his latest neck strain, and Pierre Fulke, both carded 68s to finish on 14 under.
Niclas Fasth’s fine 65 hauled him through the field to finish seven under with Lee Westwood. Westwood, after a 71 and a rather unsatisfying weekend, was still optimistic he had found the key to his game.
Briton Nick Faldo faced disappointment. He had hoped to get into Europe’s top 20 to make it to the American Express Championship but, despite shooting a 67, his 23rd-place prize was good enough for only 21st place in the European rankings.
Leading final round scores (Britain unless stated):
266 — Stephen Leaney (Australia) 64, 69, 66, 67.
267 — Alex Cejka (Germany) 68, 68, 63, 68.
268 — Nick Dougherty 68, 65, 69, 66; Ian Woosnam 68, 64, 68, 68; Paul Casey 68, 67, 62, 71.
269 — Gary Evans 67, 68, 65, 69.
270 — Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina) 68, 69, 66, 67; Mathias Gronberg (Sweden) 67, 69, 66, 68.
272 — Colin Montgomerie 71, 66, 68, 67.
273 — Warren Bennett 67, 66, 70, 70; Bernhard Langer (Germany) 68, 70, 66, 69.
274 — Pierre Fulke (Sweden) 69, 71, 66, 68; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 69, 66, 71, 68.
275 — Maarten Lafeber (Netherlands) 69, 67, 71, 68; David Lynn 70, 69, 65, 71.
276 — Alastair Forsyth 69, 71, 73, 63; Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 67, 70, 70, 69; Peter O’Malley (Australia) 67, 72, 68, 69; Emanuele Canonica (Italy) 68, 68, 69, 71; Mark Pilkington 65, 69, 70, 72; Patrik Sjoland (Sweden) 71, 68, 66, 71; Eduardo Romero (Argentina) 70, 68, 64, 74.
277 — Nick Faldo 71, 70, 69, 67; Bradley Dredge 69, 69, 71, 68; Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 68, 72, 69, 68; Brian Davis 68, 72, 68, 69; Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 72, 69, 67, 69; Ernie Els (South Africa) 69, 70, 68, 70; Anthony Wall 70, 65, 71, 71; Retief Goosen (South Africa) 65, 70, 69, 73.
PAOLI (Pennsylvania): Veteran Dan Forsman eagled the last on Sunday to win the Pennsylvania Classic by one shot from US compatriot Billy Andrade and Australia’s Robert Allenby.
The victory was the first for the 44-year-old Forsman in 10 years and earned him $594,000.
The American shot a six-under-par 65 to finish at 14-under 270. Allenby also turned in a 65 for his third straight top-three finish.
Andrade had led the tournament for the first three rounds, but managed only a two-under 69 in the final round.
He had reached 15 under after the front nine, but a double-bogey at the 10th and a bogey at 15 cost him dear.
Play started several hours early as organisers feared forecast heavy rain from tropical storm Hanna might hit the final round.
Leading final round scores (US unless stated):
270 — Dan Forsman 73, 68, 64, 65.
271 — Robert Allenby (Australia) 71, 68, 67, 65; Billy Andrade 66, 68, 68, 69.
272 — John Huston 72, 68, 65, 67.
273 — Olin Browne 73, 69, 65, 66; Jeff Sluman 73, 67, 65, 68.
274 — Hidemichi Tanaka (Japan) 73, 66, 70, 65; Brent Geiberger 69, 68, 69, 68; Jeff Brehaut 69, 68, 66, 71; Ian Leggatt (Canada) 70, 65, 69, 70.
275 — Paul Goydos 69, 69, 69, 68; Tim Herron 73, 70, 65, 67.
276 — Chris Smith 70, 71, 68, 67; Guy Boros 72, 71, 66, 67.
277 — Michael Long (New Zealand) 76, 65, 70, 66; Tom Pernice Jr 72, 68, 70, 67; Mathew Goggin (Australia) 68, 72, 69, 68; Brian Bateman 69, 70, 69, 69.
278 — Rod Pampling (Australia) 69, 71, 69, 69; Donnie Hammond 68, 69, 71, 70; Loren Roberts 71, 68, 69, 70; Mark O’Meara 73, 67, 66, 72; John Senden (Australia) 69, 71, 65, 73.—Reuters
