ROSS McGOWAN WINS AGAIN ON CHALLENGE
TOUR - THIS TIME BY THREE STROKES

England’s Ross McGowan captured his second title of the 2007 Challenge Tour season after a final round of 66 at Quinta da Marinha secured a three-stroke victory in the Estoril Challenge de Portugal at Quinta de Marinha, Cascais, about 25 miles to the west of Lisbon.
The 25 year old, who won the Oceanico Developments Pro-Am Challenge a month ago, finished at 12 under par 272 and three strokes clear of Welshman Stuart Manley, who closed with a 68. England’s Robert Coles was a further stroke back at eight under par after also shooting a 68 with another Welshman, Jamie Donaldson, in fourth place on seven under after a 72.
Overnight leader Peter Baker, bidding for a second successive victory, dropped four shots in the last two holes for a 74 to finish in joint fifth place with fellow Englishman Daniel Denison (70) at five under par.
Instead McGowan was left to claim a comfortable victory with a round containing five birdies and an eagle which even a double bogey could not take the gloss off. He becomes the third Challenge Tour player, after Italy’s Edoardo Molinari and Dutchman Joost Luiten, to win two titles this season and all will be chasing a third victory which gives immediate promotion to The European Tour.
Victory earned him €20,800 and lifted him to fourth on the Challenge Tour Rankings.
“Winning in Manchester a few weeks ago was great and this just proves it was no fluke,” said the 2006 English Amateur Champion who is embarking on his rookie season after turning professional at the end of last year.
“This is my eighth tournament in a row and it is nice to finish that run on a high before I take a bit of a break. I am just trying to a Tour card for next year and hopefully I will then be competing against the big boys.”
With conditions in Cascais easing from the previous two days, McGowan, trailing Baker by two strokes at the start of the final day, made immediate in-roads with birdies at the second, sixth and ninth holes. But it was his eagle on the par five tenth that took him clear of the field.
A three wood off the tee left him needing a two iron to reach the green and he rose to the challenge, firing in to ten feet and holing the putt. He picked up another birdie on the 13th and while his double bogey on the 15th made the finish a little tougher, he made sure of victory with a fifth birdie of the round on the 17th after pitching to two feet.
He now heads straight to Sunningdale for the 36 hole Open Championship International Final Qualifying tournament before taking a well-earned break.
“I will make myself ready to play 36 holes and fingers crossed as I have never played in The Open,” he added.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4 x 71)
272 R McGowan (Eng) 68 68 70 66.
275 S Manley (Wal) 65 72 70 68.
276 R Coles (Eng) 67 67 74 68.
277 J Donaldson (Wal) 68 70 67 72.
278 P Baker (Eng) 65 66 73 74, D Denison (Eng) 70 72 66.
279 M A Carlsson (Swe) 72 67 71 69.
280 F Widmark (Swe) 71 71 70 68, S Scahill (NZ) 71 71 71 67, K L Jorgensen (Den) 67 69 73 71, L Bond (Wal) 74 69 72 65.
281 A Sobrinho (Por) 71 68 72 70, S Robinson (Eng) 73 67 71 70, S Fernandez (Arg) 69 72 73 67, R Eyraud (Fra) 75 68 71 67, A Mellor (Eng) 68 73 73 67, J-A Larsen (Nor) 66 73 71 71.
282 T Cruz (Por) 71 68 77 66, P Worthington (Eng) 69 71 72 70, D Patrick (Sco) 71 72 69 70, G Clark (Eng) 68 70 78 66, F Valera (Esp) 73 71 71 67, E Ramsay (Sco) 75 69 68 70, P Larrazabal (Esp) 72 68 69 73, V Phillips (Eng0 72 71 69 70.
283 J McLeary (Sco) 68 74 71 70, P Kaensche (Nor) 70 72 73 68, I Van Weerelt (Ned) 73 70 69 71, A Tarchetti (Eng) 68 69 70 76.
Other Scots scores:
283 A Oldcorn 76 68 70 71.
286 A McArthur 69 70 75 72.
287 E Saltman 68 74 78 67.