AUSSIE BADDELEY WINS NORTHERN TRUST OPEN BY TWO

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Finally a winner again, Aaron Baddeley raised his arms when his last putt dropped into the cup Sunday in the Northern Trust Open as his wife and two young daughters came over to share the moment.
They might have been among the few cheering him on at Riviera.
Baddeley could hear chants of "Freddie!" at every turn, and it got even louder when Fred Couples birdied the opening three holes to take the lead. Unfazed, Baddeley cared only about a victory that was just as meaningful to him.
"I thought Freddie was going to be tough today because winning is a skill, and Freddie has been winning quite often recently," Baddeley said. "When he got off to a good start, I was like, 'Freddie looks like he's going to have one of those days where he's going to play great.' I was still just trying to focus on my game, and try to do what I needed to do."
He did just enough.
In a battle of generations, the 29-year-old Australian made his best putt after his only big mistake and closed with a 2-under 69 to hold off Vijay Singh and Couples, and win for the first time in four years.
Baddeley wound up with a two-shot win over Singh, who turns 48 on Tuesday. The big Fijian closed with a 69 for his best finish in more than two years. Couples, who still had hope on the 16th, bogeyed two of the last three holes and shot 73 to tie for seventh in his bid to become the PGA Tour's oldest winner in more than 35 years.
"I'm a golfer, so I'm disappointed," Couples said.
With his tender back, it only took one hole for the 51-year-old Couples to fall apart. Tied for the lead, he pushed his tee shot into the barranca to the right of the seventh fairway in grass so thick he had trouble finding his ball. Couples gave it a ferocious whack, and the ball came out to the left and into a bunker. He wound up making double bogey, a three-shot swing when Baddeley holed a 20-footer for birdie from the fringe.
"I just didn't feel the same after that," Couples said. "I didn't really hurt myself, but I never hit a shot, and I just got it around. I mean, I couldn't hit an iron. I hit a few good drives, but I was afraid to hit the ground, hitting it that hard out of that stuff. I did get off to a good start, and that was where it ended.
"It's nothing bad," he said. "I'm not having any excuse. It's just after that point, I never hit a shot."
It was the third career US Tour win for Baddeley, whose game had slipped so much that he had plunged to No. 224 in the world. This isn't enough to get back into the top 50, but at least he can book a trip to Augusta National in April for the Masters.
Singh, who only three weeks ago had fallen out of the top 100 in the world for the first time in more than 21 years, had his highest finish since he won the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2008 on his way to the FedEx Cup. Despite back-to-back bogeys on the back nine, he gave himself a chance to the very end.
Singh said it was the best week with the putter in his career, which would include his 2000 Masters victory. He took only 105 putts for the week, including just one three-putt in the second round.
"That's a great, great thing to have when you're putting well," Singh said. "I haven't done that for a long, long time. This is going to get me some places."
Baddeley, who finished at 12-under 272, won for the first time since the 2007 Phoenix Open. He had been one of the early proponents of the "Stack and Tilt" swing method until deciding to go back to his old teacher, Dale Lynch, two years ago. His goal was to be able to move the ball both ways without having to think about it, and the swing held up just fine on a sunny afternoon along Sunset Boulevard.
"To be honest, it felt like coming home," Baddeley said of his return to Lynch, his first coach as a teenager in Australia. "Dale and I have spent a lot of hours together, and at times it's been frustrating, but like I said, that end product ... we knew what we were working toward, and that was the key."
Kevin Na made good putts on the last two holes for a 71 that put him alone in third place.
Couples was showing his age on the practice range, where his back is so tender that he only warms up with a driver and fairway metals to stay more upright. With a driver in hand, he teed up two balls at a time to keep from stooping over.
On the course, he looked like the Couples of old.
Couples opened with three straight birdies to bring Riviera to life, just like the old days. He chipped in for birdie from just off the second green, pointing his club to the cup with his left hand in a pose that has become familiar over the years. Then came a 20-foot birdie on the third to give him the outright lead.
But it started to come undone on the par-3 sixth, where the tee was moved forward and the pin was front and right, away from the bunker in the middle of the green. He flared it to the right and missed a 4-foot par putt.
And then came what he called a "comedy of errors" on the seventh.
Equipped with the lead, Baddeley never let it go. His only mistake was hitting into the trees on consecutive shots and missing a 2 1/2-foot putt to take double bogey on the 12th. Baddeley responded swiftly, making a 20-foot birdie putt from the fringe with 8 feet of break.
He made pars the rest of the way, and no one could catch him.
"It's definitely been a couple of long years, but it was worth every bit," Baddeley said. "I really feel that the last couple years is actually what made it easier today ... the character that was just built in me."
First prize was worth $1,170,000 but in terms of confidence-boosting it was worth probably a lot more.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
272 Aaron Baddeley 67 69 67 69.
274 Vijay Singh 68 70 67 69.
275 Kevin Na 71 66 67 71.
276 Robert Allenby 67 70 71 68, Jimmy Walker 68 71 69 68, Ryan Moore 69 68 70 69.
277 K J Choi 70 69 70 68, Fred Couples 68 66 70 73.
278 J J Henry 69 74 69 66, David Duval 71 71 69 67, Justin Rose 69 69 70 70.
279 Bill Haas 67 74 71 67, Jhonattan Vegas 71 70 72 66, Ben Curtis 71 70 71 67, Paul Casey 71 67 73 66, Kevin Stadler 70 71 659 69, Retief Goosen 69 71 70 69, J B Holmes 67 69 72 71, Stuart Appleby 69 72 68 70, Spencer Levin 67 69 72 71.
Selected totals
281 Martin Laird 67 73 69 72 (T25).
283 Phil Mickelson 71 70 74 68 (T35).
286 Padraig Harrington 68 71 75 72 (T55).
292 Michael Sim 70 71 77 74 (T74).


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LANGER WINS $240,000 FIRST PRIZE IN US SENIORS' EVENT

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
NAPLES, Florida (AP) — Bernhard Langer shot a 6-under-par 66 Sunday to set a tournament record with a 20-under 196 total and win the ACE Group Classic by four shots.
The 53-year-old Langer held a four-stroke lead going into the final round. Fred Funk got within two after Langer bogeyed No. 11, but Langer came right back with birdies on Nos. 12 and 14. He finished with a 5-footer for birdie on No. 18.
"It's always exciting winning," said Langer, who earned his 14th Champions Tour win and a cheque for $240,000.
"It never gets old no matter where or how big the tournament, whether it's a major or not. Winning is what we're out here for, what I practice for."
Funk had a chance to make the final hole a little interesting, but missed a short birdie putt on No. 17 and finished with a 66 for a 16-under total.
"I just couldn't get them in the hole from there," he said. "I gave myself some opportunities. I thought if I could've kept the heat on him and made a few more of those putts, but Bernhard played great."
Nick Price (66) and Russ Cochran (67) tied for third, another shot back. Mark Calcavecchia (68) was fifth at 14 under.
"Overall it was kind of a crazy day," said Cochran, who was tied for the first-round lead with Langer. "I missed some putts you'd thought I'd make and made a bunch of them you didn't think I'd make."
Langer, a three-time Champions Tour Player of the Year, won after what had been a slow start to the year by his standards. He finished tied for 16th and 17th in the season's first two full-field events.
Unhappy with those two finishes, Langer practised hard this week. He came in with a new driver, even longer putter and three sets of irons to try. He called swing coach Willie Hoffman almost every day and was even worried he may have worked too hard.
"I was pretty tired, but I knew I had to work on my game extremely hard to sort out what clubs to use, what putter to use," he said. "It all came together at the right time."
It marked the 10th time in 11 tournaments Langer has won when he either held or shared the lead after two rounds. The German had played well in his previous two appearances in Naples, tying for fourth last year and for third in 2009.
Langer earned 240 Charles Schwab Cup points. Tom Lehman, who didn't play this week, leads the points race with 454, followed by John Cook, Cochran and Jeff Sluman.
England's Roger Chapman, a senior rookie, had scores of 69, 71 and 70 for a share of 31st place on six-under-par 210.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
196 Bernhard Langer (Germany) 64 66 66.
200 Fred Funk (US) 68 66 66.
201 Nick Price (Zimbabwe) 68 67 66, Russ Cochran (US) 64 70 67.
202 Mark Calcavecchia (US) 67 67 68.
Selected total:
210 Roger Chapman (England) 69 71 70 (T31).


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MACDONALD WINS NORTH ALLIANCE OVER HOME COURSE

By ROBIN WILSON
Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club members Michael MacDonald and Alan Cameron, who finished first and second in the previous North Scottish Golf Alliance fixture at Lossiemouth, went head to head in a repeat result in the fixture on their home course last Saturday with host club secretary, MacDonald, again edging his local rival into second place.
At Lossiemouth MacDonald won on a better last nine hole count back but on home turf he had a one stroke advantage 67 to Cameron's 68 from his halves of 33 and 34.
On his outward half the winner featured birdies at the 2nd, 6th, 8th and ninth holes, while on the homeward stretch he drove and two putted both the fourteenth and fifteenth greens for birdies . On his four under par card of 67 his two bogies arrived as a result of three putts on the 3rd and 11th greens.
Cameron, after a three birdie and two bogey outward card of 35, the birdies at the 4th, 5th and eighth holes, bogies at second and ninth, drove the short par 14th green for eagle two and followed up with a birdie the 15th for an inward 33 to finish with 68. His only inward bogey was at the penultimate hole.
Scratch handicap holder, Cameron, whose home club is Inverness, had the consolation of the leading nett score in the first category and along with his previous Lossiemouth score this may stand him in good stead to retain the Burnett Trophy which he won last season for best five scores.


LEADING SCRATCH
Par 71
67 M Macdonald (Fortrose and Rosemarkie).
68 A Cameron (Inverness).
71 D Hexley (Inverness), D McIntosh (Fortrose and Rosemarkie, G H Hay (Grantown).
72 R McKerron (Forres), B A Watson (Nairn Dunbar), N McWilliam (Elgin).
73 K Thomson (Moray), J S D Campbell (Grantown), B Fotheringham (Inverness), R Harrower (Boat of Garten).
74 R Mackay (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), R H Stewart (Torvean), S Kinnaird (Fortrose and Rosemarkie).
75 S Wilson (Inverness), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), B Cruickshank (Garmouth and Kingston), I Findlay (Grantown), A Imrie (Muir of Ord).
76 A J England (Moray), J C Milne (Moray), D F Sharp (Boat of Garten).
77 G Mackenzie (Hopeman), J A Grant (Grantown), J Simpson (Forres), J A G Innes (Elgin).
78 D Chisholm (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), M Lyall (Torvean), K Ross (Fortrose and  Rosemarkie), W Hutchison ( Inverness).
79 S Mitchell (Moray), J R Ingram (Boat of Garten), A Henry (Inverness), S Chisholm (Nairn).
80 K Williamson (Torvean), V Tilman (Muir of Ord), R Carr (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), R G Macpherson (Moray), F Brown (Nairn Dunbar);
81 I Macaulay (Elgin), M McArthur (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), A Cowie (Moray).
82 W Rusk (Torvean).
HANDICAP
Class 1 - A Cameron (Inverness) (1) 67; R Mackay (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (4), D F Sharp (Boat of Garten) (6), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar) (5) 70; D Chisholm (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (7), S Kinnaird (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (3), A J England (Moray) (5), R H Stewart (Torvean) (3) 71.
Class 2 - A Imrie (Muir of Ord) (9) 66; M Lyall (Torvean) (11) 67; G A McColl (Moray) (14), K Ross (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (8) 70; C Small (Nairn) (12), R G Macpherson (Moray) (9), S Taylor (Boat of Garten) (12) 71.

US COLLEGE GOLF MADE MONTY THE PLAYER HE BECAME

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
During his visit to Aberdeen last week, Colin Montgomerie was made an honorary member of Deeside Golf Club (Paul Lawrie, who lives not all that far away from the Bieldside course, is also a honorary member of the club).
Monty, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency on the Deeside driving range, gave a little talk to the Deeside junior members - although quite a few seniors slipped in there as well! - about his golfing career.
"Being a tournament professional has its downside," he said. "You spend an awful lot of time away from home. One year I worked it out that I spent only about 130 days at home - that breaks down to two-thirds of the year on the road.
"I was sent to boarding school at an early age so I was used to the concept of being away form home for most of the year. But for guys who come on to the European Tour and have had a 'normal' upbringing at home, it can take an awful lot of getting used to.

"I was a good enough golfer (he won the Scottish men's amateur stroke-play in 1985 and the Scottish amateur match-play championship at Nairn in 1987) before I went to university in America (Houston Baptist University) on a golf scholarship but it was there that I laid the foundations for a golf game that has stood me in good stead ever since. I took the opportunity to develop my potential."
+Colin Montgomerie was first capped for amateur Scotland in 1984. He played for Great Britain and Ireland  in two Walker Cup matches - 1985 and 1987. He turned pro in 1987-88 and went on to win eight European Tour Order of Merit titles in succession in the 1990s. He will be eligible to play on the European Seniors Tour on June 23, 2013 - his 50th birthday!

PAUL LAWRIE TALKS ABOUT HIS ATTITUDE TO SPENDING, SAVING

FROM THE TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

By SARAH EWING
Paul Lawrie, 42, Aberdeen's European Tour player and former Open Championship winner, talks money in a question-and-answer session

How did your childhood influence your work ethic and attitude to money?
While growing up with my older brother and parents in the Aberdeenshire countryside in the 1970s, my father had his own taxi firm with quite a decent-sized fleet and my mother was his bookkeeper. As a result, they had a bit of money, but I always wanted to make sure I earned my own.
In the summer we'd help out at the firm and wash cars. We felt we were part of the team. My father was generous, but as soon as I was old enough, I wanted to look after myself and support myself, turning pro at 17.
I've tried to instil this principle in my two boys, Craig and Michael, who are 15 and 11, because the big world is going to be there sooner than you think.


Has there been any point when you were worried about money?
I think everyone, no matter how successful they are, has periods that aren't as rosy as they would like. In 1996, I nearly lost my tour card – Craig was a baby and I wasn't playing very well. Things were looking pretty dire, but I managed to pull out a good finish in the second or third last tournament of the year to hold on to my card.
We certainly weren't penniless, but it's a worry when you're a new parent and you don't want to ask anyone for help. At that time, I seriously thought about stopping playing. The tour is great when you're doing well, because you make a lot of money, but if your form is off and your results aren't good, then it's an expensive drain on your finances. You're looking at £4,000-£5,000 most weeks.
I'd travel economy to save a few quid, even if it was to tournaments that were 14 or 15-hour flights. I didn't want to waste the money if I didn't know how I was going to do, even though I would have arrived fresher if I'd travelled business or first class.
Since winning the Open in 1999, I've been more sensible about travelling properly and staying in the right hotels because bottom line is I play better. I don't do it for my ego.


Are you a saver or a spender?
Spender! You name it, I spend it. My wife Marian goes ballistic. I've got a thing for watches, so I've got quite a collection. Years ago, I made a deal with myself that for every top tournament win, I'd buy myself a nice watch. It's amazing how an incentive like that can make you play better. I must start doing that again.
When we go on holiday as a family, I like to go to nice places because we all work so hard, so you've got to reward yourself. For the past seven years, we've gone to Dubai. I just need to remember to slap on the factor 50.


What's the hardest lesson you've learnt about money?
I like my money where I can see it or get it, that is in a bank, even if it's only earning a couple of per cent interest, because at least I know I've got it.
I don't like stocks and shares because I'm not very good at investing. The only time I was persuaded to part with a lump sum on the stock market, it was not long after my Open win. Needless to say, I lost it all, so never again.
I don't like taking risks with my finances; I'm an under-the-bed kind of guy. I think that's put me in good stead, given the downturn in the market over the past few years.
Credit cards are a bit like stocks and shares, in my opinion, because they're a bit of a gamble. People think, buy now, pay later, even if they might not have the money then. Rather than stocks and shares, I prefer to invest in property because I was advised you couldn't really go wrong with bricks and mortar. We have several flats in the Aberdeen area we lease out.


What do you hate about money?
Like many people who pay taxes, I think they're too high. But then, compared to some other countries, I think we do all right. It does annoy me that I work really hard to earn my money and then such a large chunk goes to HMRC. But it's not something I lose sleep over, worrying about what you don't have isn't helpful. I'm confident I can always earn my way out of a hole, pardon the pun.


What's been the best business decision?
Marrying Marian in 1991. We're complete opposites. Marian doesn't like to spend and doesn't like buying herself nice things, whereas I would quite happily go out and treat myself. She's always been that way, whether things were tight or I was doing well and earning big money, around the time of my Open win. It's nice that she hasn't changed.

Apart from that big stock market loss, have you made any other bad business decisions?
Luckily not. I run everything past one of my best friends and my first sponsor, Stewart Spence, who owns the Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen. He's very switched on and will tell you how it is. I've not been stung since.
I do obviously have an accountant I can turn to who, like me, doesn't like taking risks. I speak to him all the time, but once a year we have what we call the ''blue book meeting'' in which we go through everything in detail.


What is your most treasured possession?
I have a replica Claret Jug, which is the Open championship trophy, which I keep in my house, alongside a silver engraved scorecard from the last round at the  Open when I won it in 1999. My wedding ring is also very special to me.


How do you prefer to pay for things – cash, card or cheque?
I use a prepaid for pretty much everything now, topping it up a couple of times a year. I like using something where you know the money's already there, rather than using something you're going to have to pay for when the bill comes in.


How do you tip?
I give 20pc because they work hard for their money and rely on tips to boost their income. We have a couple of favourite places that we go to regularly, like the Mill Inn and Marcliffe. They're both within a mile of our house and we always get good service, given I've been going there since my teens.


Do you bank online?
We check things online, but we don't use it to do transactions. To be fair, I just earn the money and Marian takes care of everything else.


How do you feel about pensions?
We both have pensions in place, using a bank account we call the ''retirement account''. Once I've paid tax on any prize money, I shift a certain proportion into this account and don't touch it. Once it's there, it's gone in my mind.


What are your financial priorities for the next five years?
I'm only 42 now, so I still have a good six or seven years' earning power left on the regular tour. Then I'll graduate to the Seniors and hopefully be there for a while.
Craig's 15, so he's only got a couple of years left at school, so flats and cars will eventually have to be supported. He also wants to be a pro – he's got a four handicap. He needs to knock it down to a three before he can get a job as an assistant, like I did when I was starting out. I'll support him to help get his career off the ground.
I also want to be able to spend more time and money on my Paul Lawrie Foundation that helps children develop their sporting potential. I think it's important for me to give back and for my kids to see this effort, too.

PEPPERELL BOOSTS WALKER CUP HOPES WITH WIN IN PORTUGAL

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By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Drayton Park's Eddie Pepperell, winner of last year's Welsh men's open amateur championship, boosted his prospects of making the GB and I team of 10 for September's Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen, when he won the rain-abbreviated Portuguese international men's amateur championship at the Montado Golf Resort, near Lisbon today.

The championship was cut from four rounds to three when flooding forced the cancellation of Saturday's play.
Pepperell, pictured by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography, led throughout with rounds of 68, 69 and 72 for a seven-under-par total of 209.
Eddie had been leading an England 1-2-3 of the leading places for most of the event but, in the final analysis, only Pepperell was able to last the pace as the international opposition put the pressure on in today's third and final round.
France - the strongest European golf nation at the moment - had three players in the top eight finishers, including Jean-Pierre Verselin who produced a final round of 67, after earlier efforts of 70 and 73, to get to within one shot of the winner.

Balmore's Fraser McKenna finished joint 20th with rounds of 71, 71 and 75 for a one-over-par total of 217.

The scheduled third-round cut to the leading 60 and ties had to be made on 36-hole totals (151 or better) which eliminated twice former Scottish mid-amateur champion Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) (80-76) and East of Scotland Open winner Peter Latimer (St Andrews) (82-74), both on 156.

Leading final totals

Par 216 (3x72)

209 Eddie Pepperell (Eng) 68 69 72.

210 Jean-Pierre Verselin (Fra) 70 73 67.

211 Domenico Geminiani (Ita) 71 73 67, Daan Huizing (Net) 72 70 69, Edouard Espana (Fra) 74 73 74.

212 Alexander Levy (Fra) 71 70 71, Craig Hinton (Eng) 69 70 72, Xavi Puig (Spa) 72 70 70.
Selected totals
213 Tyrrel Hatton (Eng) 74 68 71.

215 Jonathan Bell (Eng) 69 73 72 (T13).

217 Fraser McKenna (Sco) 71 71 75, Andrew Cooley (Eng) 72 68 77 (T20).

218 Paul Cutler (Ire) 73 73 72, Dermot McElroy (Ire) 72 72 74 (T24).

219 Reeve Whitson (Ire) 70 78 71, Laurie Cantor (Eng) 71 73 73 (T27).

220 James Frazer (Wales) 73 74 73 (T33).
221 Alan Dunbar (Ire) 72 77 72, Callum Shinkwin (Eng) 68 82 70, Alex Christie (Eng) 72 73 76 (T34).
223 Steven Brown (Eng) 73 76 74 (t46).
224 Ryan Evans (Eng) 79 72 73 (T49).
226 Ben Westgate (Wales) 73 77 76 (T56).
227 Oliver Farr (Wales) 75 76 76 (T59).
230 Fred Jewsbury (Eng) 75 75 80 (T63).
231 Eddie McCormack (Ire) 76 74 81 (65th).
Missed the cut (151 or better qualified)
156 Allyn Dick (Sco) 80 76, Peter Latimer (Sco) 82 74.


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NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Eddie Pepperell (Drayton Park) claimed his first title of 2011 when he won the weather-shortened Portuguese Amateur Championship at Montado Hotel and Golf Resort.
The England international sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the final green for a par 72 to take the title. He finished on seven-under-par 209, a stroke ahead of Jean-Pierre Verselin of France with three players on 211.
With three holes to play, it looked as if Eddie might lose out to Verselin, who closed with a five under 67. However, he birdied the 16th while that superb putt on 18 secured a fine win for the young Englishman.

Pepperell, 20, led by two at halfway after rounds of 68 and 69 from Craig Hinton (The Oxfordshire) and Andrew Cooley (Chobham, Surrey). Heavy rain prevented play on the third day so the event was reduced to 54 holes with all to play for on the final circuit.

Pepperell was out in 37 in the final round after a double-bogey 6 at the fourth and he found himself two over after 14 holes. But those late birdies turned the championship in his favour.

Hinton faltered over the front nine with four bogeys and three birdies. However, he came home in level par for a 73 for joint sixth place.

Tyrrell Hatton finished with 71 for 213 and equal ninth to make three players in the top ten for England.

HENNIE OTTO WINS BY FOUR SHOTS ON S AFRICA'S SUNSHINE TOUR

FROM THE SOUTH AFRICA PGA SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
His approach shot to the 18th on the Montagu course at Fancourt on today typified the golf that Hennie Otto played on his way to a four-stroke victory in the R3.2-million Dimension Data Pro-Am.
He deposited a wedge just a foot from the flag for a tap-in birdie to complete a dominating performance which gave him a comfortable margin over second-placed James Kingston.
“I was hitting those kinds of shots well all week,” he said, “and my putting also started coming right after I went back to my old putter.”
For Otto, it was a 10th title on the Sunshine Tour, and his first since his 28-under-par tour-de-force at last February’s Vodacom Championship.
“It was a bit of a quiet patch after that,” he said, “but I have been working hard all the time and I’m starting to reap the fruit of that.”
Overnight leader George Coetzee stayed right in contention with battling golf through 12 holes – he made one bogey and a birdie – until a bogey on 13 took the fight out of his game, and the deflation was compounded with another bogey on 16.
“George made a few mistakes,” said Otto, “and I took advantage of that, and that helped as well – it was a game of patience.”
Coetzee eventually finished alone in third place after his 74, with Kingston matching Otto’s four-under 68 to take his second runner-up finish in two weeks after his second-place in Dubai last week on the European Tour.
Otto had a bogey on each nine, but two birdies on his way out and four more on his way home more than made up for those slip-ups.
And, for Otto, more than the R475,500 first prize, the exemption into the $8.5-million World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in August is something to be prized.
“It means a lot for players like me who are on the European Tour too,” said Otto. “Because it counts for the Race to Dubai, it’s quite important. I have been there four or five times before, and I’m looking forward to going over again this year. I hope I can have a good one this year.”
The victory gave him a substantial leg-up on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, lifting him into sixth place just behind Kingston.
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COLES' LAST-HOLE BOGEY GIVES S S P CHOWRASIA AVANTHA WIN

FROM THE ASIAN TOUR WEBSITE
New Delhi, India: India’s S.S.P Chowrasia won his second Asian Tour title in the most dramatic fashion after closest rival Robert Coles of England bogeyed his closing hole at the Avantha Masters today.
The €1.8 million (approximately US$2.3 million) showpiece seemed destined for a play-off between Coles and Chowrasia until Coles’ costly bogey on the 18th hole gave the Indian his first win since 2008.
The Indian closed with a five-under-par 67 for a winning total of 15-under-par 273 while Coles took second place after rounds of 70, 67, 67 and 70 at the DLF Golf and Country Club.
France’s Gregory Havret filled third place on 275. Netherland’s Robert-Jan Derksen, who had taken the first round lead, signed off in fourth place on 276 while India’s Sujjan Singh got his rookie year on the Asian Tour off to the best of starts with a tied-fifth place alongside Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal on 277.
Chowrasia showed that he is the man for the big occasion after winning the battle of fairway supremacy against an elite field once again.
His last victory came at the Indian Masters in 2008 and he was determined to end his three-year title drought at the Avantha Masters which is tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).
Chowrasia signalled his title intent by opening with a birdie on the par-four first. He continued his charge with birdies on holes four, seven, eight, 10, 11 and 14.
The 32-year-old seemed to be cruising towards a grandstand finish until a disastrous double-bogey on the par-three 16th set him back to 15-under with just two holes remaining.
“It was a tight lie on the 16th with one of my chips, I duffed it and ran my second shot by. I made a weak putt and I paid the price for it,” said Chowrasia.
He could only par his closing two holes and had to endure an agonising hour-long wait before being declared the champion as Coles was still on the course with four holes to play.
“After making those four birdies on the front-nine, I felt like I was on a roll. I thought that I could win the title already,” said Chowrasia.
“At 15-under, I was mentally prepared for the play-off already but luckily for me, Cole failed to take advantage and I’m glad I’m the winner,” added Chowrasia.
Cole was left to rue his missed chance at the last and could only reflect on what could have been his maiden win.
“The ball was really far below my feet and a bit of grass in between it and it was just a really awkward shot. I really needed to get underneath to get it up in the air as soon as I could but the ground was rock hard and it just kind of flew on me a bit. Then I got over the putt and I was still thinking I could make it and win the tournament, but I just hit it so hard and it flew out of the middle of the putter and then I obviously missed the one coming back,” said Coles.
“I think the main lesson to take from this is that you have to adapt to those situations under that kind of pressure with those adrenaline flowing,” added the Englishman.
Meanwhile Sujjan, who earned his Tour card by finishing in tied-21st at Qualifying School last month, is poised for the big leap as he showed that he can match up against the best with a noteworthy performance.
Starting the final round in tied-fifth, the 30-year-old marked his card with three birdies on holes four, six and nine with his only blemish on the front-nine coming at the par-four fifth.
Sujjan dropped another shot on the 12th hole but parred his last six holes to sign off in 71.
“It has been a good week for me. I’ve been hitting the ball really well and gave myself lots of chances. There was no pressure for me even playing in front of the home fans. I just stayed focus and played my game,” said Sujjan.
“I’ll be concentrating on playing more on the Asian Tour this season and hopefully my performance this week can spur me on to better things,” added the Indian.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72) Prize money in Euros
1 CHOWRASIA S S P (India) 70 69 67 67 273  (300,000).
2 COLES Robert (Enbgland) 70 67 67 70 274  (200,000).
3 HAVRET Grégory (France) 72 67 68 68 275 (112,680).
4 DERKSEN Robert-Jan (Netherlands) 66 73 68 69 276 (90,000).
T5 LARRAZÁBAL Pablo (Spain) 69 70 66 72 277 (69,660).
T5 SINGH Sujjan (India) 69 69 68 71 277 (69,660).
T7 HAASTRUP Mark F  (Denmark) 71 66 68 73 278 (49,500).
T7 PHADUNGSIL Chinnarat (Thailand) 70 68 71 69 278 (49,500).
T9 KAPUR Shiv (India) 72 65 72 70 279 (38,160).
T9 QUE Angelo (Philippines) 71 68 68 72 279 (38,160).
T11 KHAN Shamim (India) 74 67 70 69 280 (29,412).
T11 MARKSAENG Prayad (Thailand) 72 69 67 72 280 (29,41211).
T11 NIRAT Chapchai (Thailand) 68 71 68 73 280 (29,412).
T11 SINGH Jeev Milkha (India) 68 67 70 75 280 (29,412).
T11 WIRATCHANT Thaworn (Thailand) 70 68 70 72 280 (29,412).
Selected totals
45 WARREN Marc (Scotland) 69 70 72 75 286 (8,820).
69 WHITEFORD Peter (Scotland) 69 71 77 73 290 (3,350).
71 JAMIESON Scott (Scotland) 72 69 74 76 291 (2,698).

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STENSON GETS PLACE IN WORLD MATCH-PLAY FIELD

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
MARANA, Arizona (AP) — Toru Taniguchi of Japan has withdrawn from the Match Play Championship next week because of a neck injury, putting Henrik Stenson in the 64-man field.
Taniguchi was No. 64 in the world ranking, so the change will not affect the brackets.
Stenson, the first alternate at No. 65 in the world, should face top-ranked Lee Westwood in the opening round Wednesday. Stenson won the Match Play Championship in 2007, the first year that it moved to Dove Mountain north of Tucson. That was on a different course.
The bracket will become official Sunday evening. If anyone withdraws after that, the alternate would take that player's spot in the draw.


 OTHER NEWS FROM US PRO TOUR
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Kim has withdrawn from the Northern Trust Open because of an illness.
Kim was at 1-over 213 and made the cut by two shots at Riviera. He was nine shots behind Fred Couples, with whom Kim played the first two rounds.
Couples' other playing partner the first two rounds, Bubba Watson, had to withdraw (on Thursday) because of a muscle strain in his stomach.
Kim is ranked No. 33 in the world and is expected to be at the Match Play Championship next week.

BOY WONDER BADDELEY TURNS CLOCK BACK FOR US TOUR LEAD

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fred Couples was starting to show his age Saturday at Riviera.
He hit a poor wedge, knocked a putt over the back of the green and turned a potential birdie into bogey on the 10th hole to slip three shots behind Aaron Baddeley in the Northern Trust Open. Then came a pounding rain as Couples approached the toughest stretch of the course, and the 51-year-old with an aching back braced for the worst.
"I was thinking, 'What am I going to shoot on the back nine, 40?'" Couples said. "You start playing like those guys did yesterday in that weather, anything would have happened."
Something did. The rain stopped. Couples played the rest of the way in 1-under par, keeping alive his hopes of another win at Riviera, and a chance to become the oldest US Tour winner in more than 35 years.
Even in good weather, it might not be easy.
Baddeley, whose career once held so much promise when he won the Australian Open as an 18-year-old amateur, is starting to hit his stride since returning to long time swing coach Dale Lynch. He played 22 holes on Saturday in all kinds of weather and hit just about every shot where he was aiming, including a few putts.
He birdied the 18th in the morning chill to finish off a second-round 69, then ran off three straight birdies around the turn that led to a 4-under 67 and his first 36-hole lead on the US Tour in five years.
Baddeley was at 10-under 203, one shot clear of Couples and Kevin Na, who grew up in Southern California and attended his first US Tour event at Riviera in 1995 when he was an 11-year-old with big dreams. Na also shot a 67.
"Tomorrow is going to be a good challenge for all of us," Baddeley said.
Winless in four years, Baddeley probably could not have guessed that the challenge would come from a couple of guys who are nearly old enough to be his father.
Couples, who joined the US Tour the year Baddeley was born, wound up with a 70.
One shot behind was Vijay Singh, who turns 48 on Tuesday and is trying to climb out of the worst slump of his career. He felt like the world's best putter in the third round, finishing with a birdie on the tough 18th for a 67.
Singh last won in 2008 at the Deutsche Bank Championship on his way to the FedEx Cup title.
"I'm really fired up for tomorrow," Singh said. "I'm in a good position to win tomorrow, so we'll see what happens."
Baddeley's last victory was in 2007 at the Phoenix Open. Later that year, he had a two-shot lead going into the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont, only to close with an 80. His game was in such disarray that he has plunged to No. 224 in the world ranking.
"It's been a little bit of time since I've been in this position, so I'm excited for the challenge," Baddeley said. "I'm excited to test out the new action, and I feel good. I feel like it's going to be fun tomorrow."
Baddeley was among those who went to the "Stack and Tilt" method taught by Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer, then decided to go back to his Australian coach, Dale Lynch.
"It's funny because I feel like I've been actually making a lot of progress, but it was never really showing on the scoreboard," Baddeley said. "So these last few weeks have really been nice to start to put some scores on the board. This week has been really nice."
And there was one nice stretch in particular.
It started with a tough approach to the par-4 eighth, where Baddeley had to be careful not to be too aggressive and run off the slope on the other side of the pin. He put it to within 8 feet for birdie, then holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the ninth. He nearly drove the 10th green, leaving him a delicate pitch to tap-in range for his third straight birdie.
One of his few mistakes was a tee shot that led to an adventure through the trees on the par-5 11th. It looked as though he would escape with par when he hit a wedge out of the rough to 4 feet, but he missed the putt.
He finished with seven straight pars.
Ryan Moore (70) and John Senden (71) were at 6-under 207, while Stewart Cink (71) and Robert Allenby (71) were part of the large group another shot behind.
Defending champion Steve Stricker made the cut on the number, then had a 66. That still left him seven shots behind. Stricker is still closer than Phil Mickelson, who struggled to a 74 and was at 2-over 215.
The gallery was with Couples, who first won at Riviera in 1990 when his hair was brown and he ambled along with California cool. Couples still has the cool factor to go with his graying hair, and he still has enough game.
He narrowly missed a 15-foot eagle putt on the opening hole. He made only one other birdie on the par-5 11th, and otherwise settled for pars except for his lone bogey. It was enough, though, to keep him in the game.
"I hung in there," Couples said. "I didn't hit the ball exceptionally well, but I hit it solid, which is what I said I needed to do. I just didn't make enough birdies. So tomorrow I have to come out and fight and see what happens."
Couples was one of the players Na wanted to watch when he came out to Riviera with his father in 1995. Now he will be playing with him in the final group, a chance for Na to get his first victory. And it would be a special one at that.
Not only does he have childhood memories of Riviera, his father was diagnosed with leukemia last year and has returned home to his native South Korea for treatment.
"My mother is going to Korea next week," he said. "And hopefully, I can give her a trophy so she can give it to him."

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 213 (3x71)
203 Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 67 69 67.
204 Kevin Na (US) 71 66 67, Fred Couples (US) 68 66 70.
205 Vijay Singh (Fiji) 68 70 67.
Selected scores:
208 Justin Rose (England) 69 69 70 (T7).
209 Martin Laird (Scotland) 67 73 69 (T14).
211 Paul Casey (England) 71 67 73 (T24).
214 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 68 71 75 (T51).
215 Phil Mickelson (US) 71 70 74 (T54).
218 Michael Sim (Australia/Scotland) 70 71 77 (T71).

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