James Vargas with his cheque, trophy and a bevy of beautiful girls for good measure. You can enlarge the image by clicking on it!

RUSSELL KNOX HAS TO SETTLE

FOR $11,265 RUNNER-UP PRIZE

IN GUATEMALA OPEN

A clutch par putt at the last hole helped seal the victory for James Vargas from Miami and pip Russell Knox, pictured right, from Inverness for the $34,000 first prize at th Guatemala International Open golf championship at San Isidro Country Club, Guatemala City.

The 11-footer to end his weekend gave all-the-way leader Vargas, who tired down the home straight, a five-over-par closing round of 77 for a three-over-par total of 291 over arguably the toughest course the NGA Hooters Tour players will encounter all season.

Vargas just made it over the winning line from former Scotland youth cap and rookie pro Knox, who stayed on at Jacksonville, Florida after four years as one of the star players of the local university golf team on the US college circuit.
Also tied for second place, a shot behind Vargas were Colombian Oswaldo Villada from Medelin, Andrew Pratt from Knoxville, Tennessee and Ryan Dillon from Desert Hills, Arizona.

Each earned $11,265 which represented Russell Knox's biggest cash prize since he turned pro less than a year ago.

He earned $19,140 from 10 events in the Hooters Tour Winter Series.

On such a difficult course, the Scot avoided a double bogey which scuppered the hopes of compatriot Scott Jamieson, one of the most successful players on the Hooters Tour last season. Jamieson had a double bogey 5 at a short hole late on in his second round and, with a 36-hole aggregate of 155, missed the cut by one shot.

The consistent Knox had 10 birdies and 14 bogeys over the four rounds in Guatemala.
Villada had the best chance to tie with the winner. He missed a 4 foot par putt on the 18th green.

Pratt, a Nationwide Tour player in 2007, was three under on the day until finishing bogey-bogey for a one-under-par 71, still the best score of the day.

After posting rounds of 69 and 70 Thursday and Friday, Vargas struggled mightily on the weekend, watching a four-stroke lead evaporate with a 75 on Saturday, and a final round 77.
“There’s no doubt I won this tournament during the first two rounds,” said Vargas. “I played well enough in the tough conditions, allowing me to struggle on the weekend and still come out on top.”
The total purse for the third annual Guatemala International Open presented by Inguat was $200,000.
Once again, San Isidro Country Club showed it is the toughest course on the NGA Hooters Tour schedule. The four-day stroke average was 76.80 against a par of 72.

“Playing here last year really helped me a lot,” added Vargas. “I knew the course would play tough for everyone and that thought actually calmed me down and helped me play well; especially when the conditions were so brutal the first two days.”
Vargas pockets $34,000 for the week, and is off to a big head start on the rest of the Hooters Tour which gets back in action at the end of March at Inverrary CC in Lauderhill, Florida from March 24-30, 2008. The First Tee-Inverrary CC Open will feature a $200,000 guaranteed purse as well.
GUATEMALA INTERNATIONAL OPEN

San Isidro CC, Guatemala City

FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4 x 72)

291 James Vargas (US) 69 70 75 77 ($34,000).

292 Russell Knox (Sco) 71 77 72 72, Andrew Pratt (US) 76 74 71 71, Ryan Dillon (US) 74 73 71 74, Oswaldo Villada (Col) 70 73 72 77 ($11,265 each).

Other totals:

296 Niall Turner (Ire) 74 71 76 75 (jt 13th) ($2,915).

309 David Skinns (Eng) 78 76 82 73 (jt 54th) ($1,156).

Missed the Cut (at 154)

155 Scott Jamieson (Sco) 78 77.