ROSS DRUMMOND UNABLE TO MOUNT LAST-ROUND CHALLENGE

CANADIAN SCORES FIRST SENIOR

TOUR VICTORY -  BY SIX SHOTS
REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Canadian Rick Gibson completed a remarkable wire-to-wire six-stroke victory at the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open in Switzerland today before dedicating the maiden European Senior Tour triumph to his late mother.
The Canadian took a four-shot lead over Ross Drummond into the final round and looked at ease being the man to catch, carding six straight
pars.
Gibson then set about adding to his lead, before eventually carding a four-under-par 66 for a 195 total - six better than his nearest challenger Denis O’Sullivan
“It hasn’t all sunk in yet,” said Gibson. “It’s kind of surreal, I just tried not to think about winning until I hit the green on the 18th, and then I started to relax and take it in. I didn’t want to do anything silly.
“This is actually the first week that I can think of when I didn’t get angry at all. I didn’t play my best golf all the time, but stayed totally calm and in control of my emotions, which was key.
“It’s just a shame my Mum wasn’t here to see it, as we sadly lost her in March. She was my number one supporter and would have loved to have seen this, but I’m sure she was watching down on me from somewhere.”
Gibson’s win means he receives a winner’s cheque for €42,000, and an automatic qualification spot at The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex in Wales later this month.
The 52 year old, who now sits sixth on the Senior Tour Order of Merit, might be one to watch when the year’s third Major gets underway at Royal Porthcawl on July 24.
“This win doesn’t change my plans, it just gives me more confidence going into Porthcawl and means I don’t have to qualify. I’m actually going out there later this week to get a round or two in. I just want to keep going and hopefully have some more fun during the rest of the year.”
Although Gibson’s quality overshadowed many of his peers, there were good performances from the likes of O’Sullivan and third placed Drummond.
O’Sullivan, a six-time winner on the Senior Tour, matched Gibson’s final round 66, while Drummond took third outright courtesy of a strong back nine and a one under par round of 69.
However, the week belonged to Gibson, who is planning on his own personal celebration.
“It might be hard to celebrate as my family are spread all over the globe,” said the new Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors champion.
“But, I’m going to have a Skype call with my dad a little later – he’s having a party back home in western Canada, so I can have a beer while I’m doing that.”
FINAL TOTALS
   Par 210 (3x70) 
195 R Gibson (Can) 63 66 66
201 D O'Sullivan (Irl) 70 65 66
202 R Drummond (Sco) 65 68 69
203 C Mason (Eng) 68 67 68, L Carbonetti (Arg) 72 62 69, J Spence (Eng) 67 68 68, G Manson (Aut) 68 66 69, P Fowler (Aus) 66 68 69
204 P Golding (Eng) 69 67 68, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 68 68 68, M Mouland (Wal) 71 66 67, M Harwood (Aus) 71 66 67
205 G Rusnak (USA) 64 74 67, B Cameron (Eng) 68 66 71, J Quiros (Esp) 70 65 70, M Farry (Fra) 69 67 69 
206 J Smith (USA) 69 68 69, G Emerson (Eng) 70 66 70 
208 I Woosnam (Wal) 71 71 66, A Murray (Eng) 69 69 70 
209 S Luna (Esp) 72 67 70, A Sherborne (Eng) 72 67 70 
210 D Smyth (Irl) 73 71 66, C Rocca (Ita) 72 68 70, P Wesselingh (Eng) 76 64 70, M Martin (Esp) 71 70 69 
211 P Linhart (Esp) 69 72 70, P Walton (Irl) 69 69 73, G Ryall (Eng) 71 69 71, C Monasterio (Arg) 71 70 70, W Grant (Eng) 69 67 75 
212 S Brown (Eng) 72 71 69, T Thelen (USA) 74 70 68, J Remesy (Fra) 71 70 71, A Bossert (Sui) 73 67 72 
213 M Mackenzie (Eng) 71 70 72, B Longmuir (Sco) 76 71 66, A Franco (Par) 71 71 71, J Rivero (Esp) 72 72 69, M Davis (Eng) 71 69 73, D Russell (Eng) 74 67 72, A Oldcorn (Sco) 72 71 70
214 N Job (Eng) 70 70 74, M Cunning (USA) 75 70 69
215 S Tinning (Den) 73 69 73, G Turner (Nzl) 75 68 72, J Sallat (Fra) 71 69 75 
216 K Spurgeon (Eng) 73 68 75, T Johnstone (Zim) 74 71 71, N Ratcliffe (Aus) 70 72 74, G Cali (Ita) 70 76 70, J Gould (Eng) 79 66 71
217 J Carriles (Esp) 72 69 76, G Healey (Sui) 79 68 70
218 G Brand Jnr (Sco) 76 71 71, C Williams (Eng) 72 70 76, S Cipa (Eng) 75 73 70
219 J Bruner (USA) 72 71 76
220 P Eales (Eng) 73 75 72 
221 P Jonas (Can) 80 69 72, C Grenier (Aut) 76 73 72, P Mitchell (Eng) 75 73 73
222 B Conser (USA) 83 70 69 
226 A Garrido (Esp) 78 72 76, V Garcia (Esp) 77 71 78
227 D Creamer (Eng) 79 72 76, M Bembridge (Eng) 76 75 76, M McLean (Eng) 77 73 77
229 D Durnian (Eng) 79 72 78
232 M Bianco (Ita) 75 77 80, B Charles (Nzl) 79 73 80
233 G Brand (Eng) 79 71 83
 
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