FORMER SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPION
WINS EURO TOUR'S MALLORCA CLASSIC
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Grégory Bourdy (winner of the Scottish youths championship at Murrayshall in 2002), completed a sensational weekend for French golf when he followed Michael Lorenzo-Vera’s Challenge Tour success with his own maiden European Tour title in the Mallorca Classic today.
The 25-year-old from Bordeaux carded a final round 67 for a 12-under-par total of 268 and a two-shot victory over England’s Sam Little, who matched Bourdy’s final round 67 for 270.
Little had the substantial consolation of ensuring his playing privileges for the 2008 European Tour season after coming into the week in 136th place on the Order of Merit.
Third place at Pula Golf Club went to Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen on nine-under-par 271 while Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth finished strongly with a 66 for 273 to leapfrog Ireland’s Peter Lawrie and take fourth spot.
But the day and the week belonged to Bourdy whose success was greeted in the now-traditional way as he was drenched in champagne on the 18th green by his fellow countrymen, Thomas Levet, Jean-Francois Lucquin and Christian Cévaèr.
“To get my first win on Tour feels absolutely fantastic,” said the Frenchman whose previous best had been victory in the 2006 South African PGA Championship on the Sunshine Tour. “I had a great day out there and this is just unbelievable.”
Bourdy became the 18th first time winner of the season – a new record number of maiden winners in one season on the European Tour – and his first prize cheque for 333,330 Euros also guaranteed him a place in next week’s season-ending Volvo Masters at Club de Golf Valderrama.
Having started the final round in a share of the lead with Derksen, Bourdy was consistency personified and did not drop a shot all day, his only departures from par coming with birdies at the sixth, ninth and 10th holes.
However, every champion needs a bit of good fortune to go with their undoubted ability and for Bourdy that came on the 442yd 16th. After a pulled drive into the rough, and with Little watching from the adjacent fairway, Bourdy’s club turned over in the long grass and his second shot seemed destined for the water in front of the green.
Somehow, though, it had enough in its trajectory to land dry, a mere foot over the edge of the water from where the Frenchman chipped and putted for par. He parred the 17th and, although he missed a 3ft birdie attempt on the par-3 18th after a stunning six-iron tee shot, it was immaterial in the overall big picture.
“I did think it was in the water at the 16th so I was very relieved when I saw it bounce in the rough in front of the green,” admitted Bourdy. “It was a bit lucky but sometimes these little things go your way and perhaps that signifies that it is your day.”
Little, with other weighty issues on his mind, battled superbly in the circumstances and indeed for a while it looked like the 32 year old Londoner might take away a two-year Tour exemption for actually winning the tournament instead of just the one for keeping his card.
Like Bourdy, he did nothing wrong and three birdies around the turn kept his hopes of victory alive. They were dented when he dropped a shot at the 15th – his only bogey of the day – but he showed the strength of character evident in his play all week by bouncing straight back with a 15ft birdie at the 16th.
Third-placed Derksen shared the lead with Bourdy going into the final round but, as has been the case for the consistent Dutchman so often this season, when he has needed the extra spark to ignite a title challenge, it has not been apparent.
A three-putt bogey at the opening hole set the winner of the 2003 Dubai Desert Classic and the 2005 Madeira Island Open off on the wrong foot and although he battled bravely throughout, too many birdie chances on the 6,850yd lay-out stayed above ground.
For the majority of the final round, it looked like Irishman Peter Lawrie would take fourth place at the very least but an ugly double bogey 6 at the 16th and a bogey 4 to finish put paid to that notion and his hopes of featuring in next week’s Volvo Masters, allowing Forsyth – who had six birdies in his 66 – to overtake him.
Further down the leaderboard, pre-tournament favourite Sergio Garcia had a day to forget on the greens. The World No 10 got within touching distance of the leaders in the early stages before his blade went cold on the putting surfaces. In the end his challenge was extinguished when he shed four shots in four holes from the 12th, eventually finishing in a tie for 16th place on three under par 277.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4 x 70)
268 Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 69 68 64 67
270 Sam Little 66 69 68 67
271 Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 66 65 70 70
273 Alastair Forsyth 68 69 70 66
274 Johan Edfors (Swe) 68 71 68 67, Peter Lawrie 66 68 68 72
275 Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 71 70 68 66, Alexander Noren (Swe) 71 69 64 71, Richard Finch 68 69 66 72, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 66 65 71 73
276 Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71 64 75 66, Graeme McDowell 71 67 70 68, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 71 70 67 68, Mattias Eliasson (Swe) 69 72 65 70, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 71 67 68 70
277 Graeme Storm 67 73 67 70, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 68 67 69 73
278 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 73 69 68 68, Mark Foster 67 75 65 71
279 Barry Lane 68 68 73 70, Paul Lawrie 69 68 72 70, Matthew Millar (Aus) 71 67 71 70, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 68 68 72 71, Yong-eun Yang (Kor) 68 72 72 67, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 68 74 72 65
280 Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 69 68 73 70, Anthony Wall 72 69 69 70, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 66 73 70 71, Markus Brier (Aut) 70 69 69 72, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 71 69 68 72, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 65 70 79 66, Carl Suneson (Spa) 72 64 70 72, Marcel Siem (Ger) 68 68 70 74
281 Paul McGinley 71 72 66 72, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 69 69 73 70, Damien McGrane 71 70 70 70, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 70 70 69 72, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 68 66 74 73
282 Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 74 68 69 71, Thomas Levet (Fra) 70 71 69 72, Gary Orr 70 69 72 71, Robert Rock 69 68 70 75, Benn Barham 70 72 71 69
283 Peter O'Malley (Aus) 70 73 68 72, Simon Wakefield 69 71 70 73, Pedro Linhart (Spa) 68 74 70 71, Francis Valera (Spa) 69 73 70 71, Richard Bland 72 69 71 71, Phillip Archer 70 72 71 70
284 Miles Tunnicliff 71 72 69 72, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 70 73 71 70, Peter Gustafsson (Swe) 71 71 72 70
285 Ian Garbutt 69 69 73 74, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 68 69 75 73, Gary Murphy 66 74 68 77, Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa) 70 69 74 72, Phillip Price 69 72 72 72, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 68 73 73 71
286 Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 69 69 73 75, Brett Rumford (Aus) 71 72 70 73, Steven O'Hara 73 68 75 70
287 Luis Claverie (Spa) 67 70 74 76, Alvaro Salto (Spa) 71 71 72 73, Andrew Marshall 69 74 72 72
288 Joakim Backstrom (Swe) 67 73 71 77, Andrew Coltart 69 74 70 75, Christopher Hanell (Swe) 72 71 71 74, Stephen Dodd 74 68 74 72, Marcus Higley 73 67 76 72
289 Ariel Canete (Arg) 69 71 75 74
294 James Hepworth 67 74 75 78
WINS EURO TOUR'S MALLORCA CLASSIC
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Grégory Bourdy (winner of the Scottish youths championship at Murrayshall in 2002), completed a sensational weekend for French golf when he followed Michael Lorenzo-Vera’s Challenge Tour success with his own maiden European Tour title in the Mallorca Classic today.
The 25-year-old from Bordeaux carded a final round 67 for a 12-under-par total of 268 and a two-shot victory over England’s Sam Little, who matched Bourdy’s final round 67 for 270.
Little had the substantial consolation of ensuring his playing privileges for the 2008 European Tour season after coming into the week in 136th place on the Order of Merit.
Third place at Pula Golf Club went to Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen on nine-under-par 271 while Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth finished strongly with a 66 for 273 to leapfrog Ireland’s Peter Lawrie and take fourth spot.
But the day and the week belonged to Bourdy whose success was greeted in the now-traditional way as he was drenched in champagne on the 18th green by his fellow countrymen, Thomas Levet, Jean-Francois Lucquin and Christian Cévaèr.
“To get my first win on Tour feels absolutely fantastic,” said the Frenchman whose previous best had been victory in the 2006 South African PGA Championship on the Sunshine Tour. “I had a great day out there and this is just unbelievable.”
Bourdy became the 18th first time winner of the season – a new record number of maiden winners in one season on the European Tour – and his first prize cheque for 333,330 Euros also guaranteed him a place in next week’s season-ending Volvo Masters at Club de Golf Valderrama.
Having started the final round in a share of the lead with Derksen, Bourdy was consistency personified and did not drop a shot all day, his only departures from par coming with birdies at the sixth, ninth and 10th holes.
However, every champion needs a bit of good fortune to go with their undoubted ability and for Bourdy that came on the 442yd 16th. After a pulled drive into the rough, and with Little watching from the adjacent fairway, Bourdy’s club turned over in the long grass and his second shot seemed destined for the water in front of the green.
Somehow, though, it had enough in its trajectory to land dry, a mere foot over the edge of the water from where the Frenchman chipped and putted for par. He parred the 17th and, although he missed a 3ft birdie attempt on the par-3 18th after a stunning six-iron tee shot, it was immaterial in the overall big picture.
“I did think it was in the water at the 16th so I was very relieved when I saw it bounce in the rough in front of the green,” admitted Bourdy. “It was a bit lucky but sometimes these little things go your way and perhaps that signifies that it is your day.”
Little, with other weighty issues on his mind, battled superbly in the circumstances and indeed for a while it looked like the 32 year old Londoner might take away a two-year Tour exemption for actually winning the tournament instead of just the one for keeping his card.
Like Bourdy, he did nothing wrong and three birdies around the turn kept his hopes of victory alive. They were dented when he dropped a shot at the 15th – his only bogey of the day – but he showed the strength of character evident in his play all week by bouncing straight back with a 15ft birdie at the 16th.
Third-placed Derksen shared the lead with Bourdy going into the final round but, as has been the case for the consistent Dutchman so often this season, when he has needed the extra spark to ignite a title challenge, it has not been apparent.
A three-putt bogey at the opening hole set the winner of the 2003 Dubai Desert Classic and the 2005 Madeira Island Open off on the wrong foot and although he battled bravely throughout, too many birdie chances on the 6,850yd lay-out stayed above ground.
For the majority of the final round, it looked like Irishman Peter Lawrie would take fourth place at the very least but an ugly double bogey 6 at the 16th and a bogey 4 to finish put paid to that notion and his hopes of featuring in next week’s Volvo Masters, allowing Forsyth – who had six birdies in his 66 – to overtake him.
Further down the leaderboard, pre-tournament favourite Sergio Garcia had a day to forget on the greens. The World No 10 got within touching distance of the leaders in the early stages before his blade went cold on the putting surfaces. In the end his challenge was extinguished when he shed four shots in four holes from the 12th, eventually finishing in a tie for 16th place on three under par 277.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4 x 70)
268 Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 69 68 64 67
270 Sam Little 66 69 68 67
271 Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 66 65 70 70
273 Alastair Forsyth 68 69 70 66
274 Johan Edfors (Swe) 68 71 68 67, Peter Lawrie 66 68 68 72
275 Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 71 70 68 66, Alexander Noren (Swe) 71 69 64 71, Richard Finch 68 69 66 72, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 66 65 71 73
276 Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71 64 75 66, Graeme McDowell 71 67 70 68, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 71 70 67 68, Mattias Eliasson (Swe) 69 72 65 70, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 71 67 68 70
277 Graeme Storm 67 73 67 70, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 68 67 69 73
278 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 73 69 68 68, Mark Foster 67 75 65 71
279 Barry Lane 68 68 73 70, Paul Lawrie 69 68 72 70, Matthew Millar (Aus) 71 67 71 70, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 68 68 72 71, Yong-eun Yang (Kor) 68 72 72 67, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 68 74 72 65
280 Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 69 68 73 70, Anthony Wall 72 69 69 70, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 66 73 70 71, Markus Brier (Aut) 70 69 69 72, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 71 69 68 72, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 65 70 79 66, Carl Suneson (Spa) 72 64 70 72, Marcel Siem (Ger) 68 68 70 74
281 Paul McGinley 71 72 66 72, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 69 69 73 70, Damien McGrane 71 70 70 70, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 70 70 69 72, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 68 66 74 73
282 Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 74 68 69 71, Thomas Levet (Fra) 70 71 69 72, Gary Orr 70 69 72 71, Robert Rock 69 68 70 75, Benn Barham 70 72 71 69
283 Peter O'Malley (Aus) 70 73 68 72, Simon Wakefield 69 71 70 73, Pedro Linhart (Spa) 68 74 70 71, Francis Valera (Spa) 69 73 70 71, Richard Bland 72 69 71 71, Phillip Archer 70 72 71 70
284 Miles Tunnicliff 71 72 69 72, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 70 73 71 70, Peter Gustafsson (Swe) 71 71 72 70
285 Ian Garbutt 69 69 73 74, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 68 69 75 73, Gary Murphy 66 74 68 77, Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa) 70 69 74 72, Phillip Price 69 72 72 72, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 68 73 73 71
286 Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 69 69 73 75, Brett Rumford (Aus) 71 72 70 73, Steven O'Hara 73 68 75 70
287 Luis Claverie (Spa) 67 70 74 76, Alvaro Salto (Spa) 71 71 72 73, Andrew Marshall 69 74 72 72
288 Joakim Backstrom (Swe) 67 73 71 77, Andrew Coltart 69 74 70 75, Christopher Hanell (Swe) 72 71 71 74, Stephen Dodd 74 68 74 72, Marcus Higley 73 67 76 72
289 Ariel Canete (Arg) 69 71 75 74
294 James Hepworth 67 74 75 78
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, October 28, 2007
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