Sandy Lyle second to Peter

Senior Down Under

Former Open and Masters champion Sandy Lyle finished second to Peter Senior in the Handa Australian Senior Open championship at Royal Perth Golf Club today - the Scot's highest tournament finish for some time.
Sandy birdied four par-5 holes in a closing round of 69 for a total of six-under-par 210. His earlier rounds had been a 73 and 68. In his final circuit, he birdied the first, third, seventh, ninth and 18th with bogeys at the fifth and 15th. Lyle earned 40,800 Australian dollars for his performance.
He finished three shots behind all-the-way leader Australian Peter Senior who had rounds of 65, 70 and 72 to take the title and the 72,000 Australian dollars first prize.
Senior's opening round of seven-under-par 65 was a course record and gave him an initiative he never relinquished although he did drop two shots over his final nine holes. Last year Senior lost in a play-off to compatriot Michael Harwood.
“It’s been a great week. The course was sensational and it’s been great to see the European boys out here playing," said Senior.
“I would have liked to have played a little bit better coming down the stretch but I think I played a little bit safe, which is why I made a few mistakes, but nobody really came after me."
“I’m really happy to finish on top, especially after what happened last year, when I let a lot of guys in."
Gary Wolstenholme, in his rookie year as a senior pro, finished third, a shot behind Lyle.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72). Prize money in Australian dollars.
207 Peter Senior (Aus) 65 70 72 (72,000).
210 Sandy Lyle (Sco) 73 68 69 (40,800).
211 Gary Wolstenholme (Eng) 73 68 70 (27,000).212 Marc Farry (Fra) 71 71 70, Michael Harwood (Aus) (17,600 each).
213 David Russell (Eng) 72 69 72, Bill Longmuir (Sco) 74 71 69, Chris Williams (Aus) 72 71 70, Peter Fowler (Aus) 67 71 75, Rodger Davis (Aus) 74 68 71 (11,920 each).
214 Michael Clayton (Aus) 71 73 70 (8,800).
215 Andrew Oldcorn (Sco) 73 69 73, Ian Woosnam (Wal) 72 73 70, John Harrison (Eng) 73 71 71 (7,333 each).
Selected totals:
216 Ian Baker-Finch (Aus) 75 71 70 (jt 15th) (6,080).
218 Kevin Spurgeon (Eng) 71 73 74 (jt 19th) (4,410).
221 Sam Torrance (Sco) 73 76 72 (jt 25th) (3,373).
223 Nick Job (Eng) 77 74 72 (jt 29th) (2,720).
224 Glenn Ralph (Eng) 74 74 76 (jt 32nd) (2,440).

MORE NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA:

Australia’s newest US PGA Tour member Steven Bowditch has added another title to his growing collection, claiming the Cellarbrations NSW PGA Championship by two shots at Wollongong Golf Club today.
With the win Bowditch lifted the $17,250 first place prize cheque along with the title, which will give the 27-year-old plenty of confidence heading into the remaining 2010 PGA Tour of Australasia events.
Bowditch finished at 17-under, two strokes ahead of New Zealander Gareth Paddison.
Canberra professional Damon Welsford finished third at 12-under, a shot ahead of fourth-placed Matthew Millar.
“After a great year in the states it was one of my goals to come home and really compete in our big events and this is a great stepping stone,” said Bowditch.
The PGA Tour of Australasia will now head to the NSW Hunter Valley for the staging of next week’s 2010 NSW Open hosted by Nathan Green at The Vintage Golf Club.
The tournament will be headlined by event namesake Green, with Peter O’Malley, Stephen Leaney, Andre Stolz and Bowditch among others in the field.