GORDON BRAND junior FINISHES WITH A TRIPLE BOGEY

By Neil Ahern, European Tour assistant press officer
 nahern@europeantour.com
Gordon Brand junior suffered a disappointing finish to the Belas Clube de Campo Senior Open de Portugal after a triple bogey on the last hole ended his hopes of victory as Mark Mouland clinched his maiden European Senior Tour win.
The Welshman’s steady four under par round of 68 was enough to seal victory in a dramatic finale after as many as five potential winners fell by the wayside on the challenging final stretch at Belas Clube de Campo, to the west of Lisbon.
In a thrilling finish, Jerry Bruner, Brand Jnr, Doug Johnson and Gary Wolstenholme all shared the lead as the final groups reached the turn.
But they all faltered on the closing holes with every one of them suffering at least a double bogey on the back nine, Brand Jnr hitting into the water on the 18th hole for a triple bogey seven that left him with a one over par final round of 73.
Overnight leader Mike Cunning also struggled to get going in the final round after a bogey on the third hole before three dropped shots on the back nine contributed to a one over par final round of 73.
Mouland, meanwhile, was composure personified as he came down the stretch, birdieing the 10th, 11th, 13th and 15th holes in a round which didn’t feature a single blemish.
Indeed, the two time European Tour winner, whose last victory in European golf came at the 1988 KLM Open, only had a single bogey all week in Portugal as he picked up the winner’s prize fund of €45,000.
Bill Longmuir, meanwhile, finished with a two under par round of 70 to leave him tied for 23rd on one under par.