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FARO (Portugal), April 21: Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson chipped in for an eagle at the 17th to win the Algarve Portuguese Open title on Sunday, his second European Tour victory of the season.
Jacobson, in his first week back after a wrist injury that had kept him off tour for 10 weeks, closed with a level-par 72 for five-under-par 283 at Vale do Lobo, to win by a stroke from Britons Brian Davis, Bradley Dredge and Jamie Donaldson.
“The chip-in was a tremendous feeling,” said Jacobson, nursing the precious 58 degree sand-iron that helped him hole out three times in the final round, including the final one from 12 yards.
The victory earned Jacobson a winner’s cheque for 208,330 Euros and fifth place in the Order of Merit.
Englishman Greg Owen finished fifth on 285.
Leading final round scores (Britain unless stated, a-denotes amateur):
283 — Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 64, 76, 71, 72.
284 — Bradley Dredge 69, 73, 74, 68; Jamie Donaldson 72, 71, 73, 68; Brian Davis 70, 71, 71, 72.
285 — Greg Owen 66, 70, 76, 73.
287 — James Kingston (South Africa) 72, 75, 72, 68; Richard Sterne (South Africa) 73, 73, 69, 72.
289 — Jarmo Sandelin (Sweden) 75, 67, 79, 68; David Lynn 71, 72, 74, 72; Carlos Rodiles (Spain) 69, 71, 76, 73; Marcel Siem (Germany) 71, 68, 76, 74.
291 — a-Richard Walker 73, 73, 74, 71; Gustavo Rojas (Argentina) 70, 75, 74, 72; Jose Manuel Lara (Spain) 73, 72, 74, 72; Steve Webster 72, 73, 73, 73.
292 — Terry Price (Australia) 76, 71, 76, 69; Graeme McDowell 70, 75, 76, 71; Rolf Muntz (Netherlands) 72, 70, 78, 72; Kenneth Ferrie 74, 72, 74, 72; Ben Mason 75, 69, 74, 74; Maarten Lafeber (Netherlands) 73, 73, 71, 75; Carl Schwartzel (South Africa) 72, 70, 74, 76.
293 — Paul Eales 77, 69, 76, 71; Van Phillips 70, 77, 75, 71; Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 76, 72, 73, 72; Alastair Forsyth 72, 72, 76, 73; Jonathan Lomas 72, 72, 75, 74; Matthew Blackey 74, 71, 73, 75; Mikael Lundberg (Sweden) 75, 71, 72, 75; Phillip Price 73, 71, 72, 77.
294 — Soren Hansen (Denmark) 74, 75, 76, 69; Barry Lane 72, 77, 76, 69; Simon Dyson 74, 72, 76, 72; Simon Khan 74, 74, 73, 73; David Carter 72, 72, 75, 75; Frederik Andersson (Sweden) 73, 73, 73, 75; Patrik Sjoland (Sweden) 73, 73, 73, 75.
LOVE TRIUMPHS
HILTON HEAD (South Carolina): Davis Love III birdied the fourth sudden death playoff hole to defeat Woody Austin and win The Heritage for a fifth time on Sunday.
Love, whose previous playoff record was 1-7, glanced his approach shot off the flagstick at the par-four 18th hole and then made a three-foot putt to win.
Love’s victory in the $4.5 million event is his third of 2003, matching his career-best season of 1992.
Love and Austin finished in regulation on 13-under-par 271, a stroke ahead of David Gossett (66), Australian Geoff Ogilvy (67), Chris Riley (67) and 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton (68) at 12 under.
Matt Gogel (68), Tom Pernice Jr (68) and Steve Flesch (69) finished at 11-under 273.
After Sutton bogeyed the 72nd hole, Austin held the sole lead at 13 under.
Love, playing in the next to last group, chipped in from right of the 18th green to tie Austin for the lead.
Austin then followed Love by getting up and down for par to force the playoff.
At the first playoff hole, Austin drove his tee shot into the hazard and was forced to drop, opening the door for Love to win, but the two players settled for bogey when Love’s par attempt from 10 feet lipped out.
At the par-four 16th, the second playoff hole, Love and Austin made par, this time Austin’s eight-foot birdie attempt catching the cup’s edge and lipping out.
At the par-three 17th hole, both players hit errant tee shots, Austin right of the green; Love left into the greenside bunker.
Both chipped to within six feet, but two-putted for bogeys.
Austin was attempting to win for the first time since his Rookie of the Year season in 1995.
Leading final round scores (US unless stated):
271 — Davis Love III 66, 69, 69, 67; Woody Austin 68, 70, 65, 68 (Love wins four-hole playoff with a birdie).
272 — David Gossett 71, 67, 68, 66; Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 68, 67, 70, 67; Chris Riley 69, 70, 66, 67; Hal Sutton 67, 66, 71, 68.
273 — Matt Gogel 69, 67, 69, 68; Tom Pernice Jr 67, 70, 68, 68; Steve Flesch 68, 69, 67, 69.
274 — Bob Estes 69, 72, 66, 67; Glen Hnatiuk (Canada) 69, 68, 69, 68; Rod Pampling (Australia) 67, 72, 67, 68; Ernie Els (South Africa) 69, 66, 70, 69; Jim Furyk 70, 66, 69, 69; Peter Jacobsen 69, 69, 67, 69; Stewart Cink 67, 65, 69, 73; Jeff Sluman 68, 70, 64, 72.
275 — Glen Day 70, 70, 71, 64; Tim Clark (South Africa) 68, 69, 69, 69; Chad Campbell 67, 67, 70, 71; Kenny Perry 67, 69, 67, 72.
276 — Tom Lehman 69, 73, 68, 66.
277 — Jay Williamson 68, 72, 71, 66; Dean Wilson 74, 66, 70, 67; Skip Kendall 72, 68, 68, 69; Corey Pavin 69, 68, 69, 71.—Reuters/AFP
